UN Women BangladeshHouse # CES (A) 11A, Road #113Gulshan-2, Dhaka-1212, BangladeshPhone: +88 02 985-8593Fax :+88 02 9883828www.unwomen.org

ASSESSMENT OF

WOMEN’SLIVELIHOODNEEDS IN THREE ECO-ZONES OF

BANGLADESH

The Royal Norwegian Embassy in

Dhaka is proud to work closely

together with UN Women to bring

the rights of women into the climate

change debate. We are glad to support

the important project ‘Reducing

Vulnerability of Women Affected

by Climate Change through Viable

Livelihood Options’ here in Bangladesh.

The women’s livelihood needs

assessment report will help people

select the appropriate livelihood

adaptation modalities needed in

different adverse climatic situations.

I am pleased that the report provides

concrete and applicable suggestions

that will, I hope, prove helpful to

people who need this expert advice

now.

Gender is a critical and overlooked

dimension in climate policy

deliberations. I hope the knowledge

provided in this report will inspire

a deeper appreciation for the vital

significance of gender as an essential

dimension in dealing with the social

aspects of climate change.

Merete Lundemo Ambassador of NorwayDhaka

Message

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Bangladesh has achieved enormous

development gains over the last two decades

and is set to achieve most of the millennium

development goals. The country has been

particularly recognized for halving the number

of people living in poverty and for advances in

gender equality. Since signing the Millennium

Declaration Bangladesh has achieved gender

parity in primary and secondary school

enrollment, improved completion rates for

girls, significantly reduced maternal mortality,

and continued to enact laws and policies

that provide a framework for protecting and

promoting women’s rights.

Despite being one of the countries most

affected by climate change, and most

vulnerable to disasters, Bangladesh is a

leader in disaster management and has been

a pioneer in community-based adaptation to

climate change.

Even with these remarkable achievements, there

are many development challenges remaining.

In 2014, more than 40 million people remain

poor and climatic changes are threatening

the livelihoods and living conditions for

many of these households. Poverty and other

deprivations generally affect women more.

On the one hand women have less access to

resources, limited opportunities for decent work

and lower social status. On the other hand they

carry the main responsibilities for the well-

being of children and households. Supported

by the Norwegian Embassy in Bangladesh, UN

Women is pioneering a rights-based approach

to addressing the gender equality dimensions

of climate change through the project Reducing

Vulnerability of Women Affected by Climate

Change through Livelihood Options.

This needs assessment was conducted to

investigate viable recommendations for

livelihood interventions, which can be carried

out in an attempt to give women affected by

climate change and its impacts alternative

livelihood options. In the process, the study

investigates through participatory methods

the current situation women face and women’s

views on their needs. Recommendations

include location-specific actions to address

existing gender inequalities as well as targeted

skill development for women in different eco

zones of Bangladesh.

Finally, to say a few words about UN Women;

globally we support inter-governmental bodies

such as the Commission on the Status of

Women to develop norms and standards that

will further gender equality. In Bangladesh, UN

Women supports the government to implement

their commitments to gender equality through

technical assistance and resources, and works

in close partnership with civil society on the

issues of women’s economic empowerment,

political empowerment, gender in humanitarian

programmes, violence against women,

migration, and climate change.

Ms Christine HunterCountry RepresentativeUN Women Bangladesh

Message

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The research was conducted to investigate viable

recommendations for livelihood intervention

activities, which can be carried out by other

organizations, in an attempt to give women, who are

most vulnerable to climate change and its impacts,

solid and more resilient livelihood options. In the

process, the study investigates the current situation

women face and women’s views on their needs.

The research has been divided into four thematic

areas, which are interlinked: climate change impacts

and their gender implications, current livelihood

practices, the impacts of climate change on current

livelihoods, current adaptation strategies for

livelihoods and future viable livelihood options.

As a whole, this report highlights the approach of

combining climate change adaptation and viable

livelihoods to reduce the poverty and vulnerabilities

of women in climate change affected areas.

This needs assessment is based on primary data,

secondary data, needs assessment tools (seasonal

community hazard mapping, mobility chart for women,

seasonal livelihood calendar for women, hazards and

livelihood index) and impacts of natural hazards or

climate change on women livelihoods. A number

of multi-stakeholder community meetings were

held in all the study Unions, at which stakeholders

were invited to provide necessary information on

the climate conditions they face and the types of

livelihoods they engage in and how they are affected

by the climate extremes.

EXECUTIVESUMMARYEvidently women are more severely affected by climate change and natural disasters

because of their social roles, discrimination and poverty. In rural Bangladesh they

are specially vulnerable since they are highly dependent on local natural resources

for their livelihood. A needs assessment survey was conducted between May and

July of 2013, to identify viable livelihoods of women affected by climate change in

ten climate vulnerable Upazilas of three eco-zones (flood prone, drought prone and

cyclone prone) in Bangladesh.

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The study reveals that climate is wreaking havoc with

the livelihood of vulnerable women. From floods, to

droughts, cyclones, increased salinity, erosion and

water logging, women’s days are dictated by their

access to natural resources and they rely on these to

care for their families and communities. Almost all

climatic changes lead to women’s increased labour,

especially as it relates to access to clean and safe

water, fuel and food. Access to resources becomes

critical during disasters as it is not simply more

time that this required, but women’s very safety and

security is at risk in travelling further afield to obtain

them. Many more women than men are killed during

floods and storms due to a variety of reasons including

women’s lack of mobility, inability to swim, need to

care for children and elderly and their reluctance

to use shelters. Lack of safe access to water and

latrines and safe spaces for women in shelters have

led to increased harassment and in some cases rape,

deterring women from seeking safety in the very

spaces they are supposed to be safe.

Disasters and climate changes affect children’s

education (especially girls), maternal and neo-natal

child health, women’s health, nutrition and overall

wellbeing, including mental health. In disaster

periods, health problems arise among women and

sources of income are obstructed. It has thus become

increasingly important that appropriate ‘climate

resilient’ livelihoods options are investigated for

specific eco-zones. Also important in a climate

justice approach is the consideration that human

and institutionalized barriers need removed from

women’s advancement. This entails men assisting

with a more equal division of labour so women are

not overburdened and weakened by the additional

demands climate hazards put on them. There also

needs to be a change in attitudes to pull back

discrimination against women to encourage women’s

increased role in decision making and leadership

in farming, business roles and community decision

making roles.

New livelihoods for women are proposed and

discussed though qualitative and quantitative data

from the field work. In many cases further training

and new skills, additional resources and support from

NGOs and government are advocated. Women have

the ability to be innovators and change makers and

case studies at the conclusion of discussion of each

eco zone illustrate how women are changing their

lives and those of their communities in hazardous

climatic areas through new or altered livelihoods.

The study concludes with a set of recommendations on

both the need to consider clear gender issues within

the climatic extremes of drought prone, flood prone

and coastal zones for women’s wellbeing, as well as

practical suggestions on how to address current and

new viable livelihoods as adaptations to climate.© U

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Executive Summary 4

1. Introduction 8

2. Methodology 10

3. Profile Of The Study Area 18

4. Coastal Zone 20

5. Drought Prone Area 32

6. Flood Prone Areas 42

7. Conclusions and Recommendations 52

8. References 56

9. Annex 58

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A C R O N Y M S

BBS Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics

BCAS Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies

BCCSAP Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan

CBM Community Based Management

CEGIS Center for Environment and Geographic Information Services

DAE Department of Agricultural Extension

DRMA Disaster Risk Management in Agriculture Sector

DRR Disaster Risk Reduction

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization

FGD Focus Group Discussion

GBM Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna

GCM Global Circulation Model

HFA Hyogo Framework of Action

IDS Institute of Development Studies

IPCC Inter governmental Panel on Climate Change

KII Key Informants Interview

NGO Non-Government Organization

PRA Participatory Rural Appraisal

SLR Sea Level Rise

UNISDR UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

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1.1 BACKGROUND

Bangladesh is recognized worldwide as one of the

countries that is most vulnerable to the impacts of global

warming and climate change (reported by climate change

vulnerability index, Maple Croft, UK, 2011). This is due to

its unique geographic location, dominance of floodplains,

low elevation, high population density, high levels of

poverty, and overwhelming dependence on nature, its

resources and services. Climate change is eroding assets,

investment and the future of Bangladesh for the lives of

families, communities and the state. Global warming and

climate change threatens settlements, and the number

of people displaced from their lands due to riverbank

erosion, permanent inundation and sea level rise which are

increasing rapidly every year (CCC, 2007). In the future,

Bangladesh will likely face more frequent, larger scale and

intensified floods, cyclones and droughts. Sea-level rise

could inundate 17% of coastal lands unless appropriate

action is taken (BCCSAP, 2009).

I N T R O D U C T I O N

Source: Maple croft, 2011. www.preventionwave.net

Figure 1: Climate Change vulnerability index 2011

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© Maplecroft 2010

Extreme risk

High risk

Medium risk

Low risk

No Data

CountryBangladeshIndiaMadagascarNepalMozambiquePhilippinesHaitiAfghanistanZimbabweMyanmarEthiopiaCambodiaViet NamThailandMalawiPakistan

CategoryExtremeExtremeExtremeExtremeExtremeExtremeExtremeExtremeExtremeExtremeExtremeExtremeExtremeExtremeExtremeExtreme

Rank12345678910111213141416

Bangladesh

India

Madagascar

Nepal

Mozambique

Philippines

Haiti

Afghanistan

Ethiopia

Cambodia

Viet Nam

Thailand

Malawi

Pakistan

Zimbabwe

Myanmar

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In recent times, natural hazards have become more frequent

and intense compared to the similar kinds of events that

occurred one or two decades ago. It is now accepted by the

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scientists,

that these climatic hazards are undoubtedly the results of

climate change at global and regional levels. In Bangladesh,

scientists consider the floods of 1987, 1988, 1998, 2004,

2007 and cyclones of 1991, 2007 and 2009 consequences

of global warming and its associated problems. Threats from

landslides due to excessive rainfall can also be attributed to

recent climatic variance (Islam and Neelim, 2010).

When ecosystems become more fragile and natural resources

are reduced or are out of reach, poor communities that depend

on them for their survival are the most affected, particularly

women, the elderly and children. In 1991, during the cyclone

disasters in Bangladesh, of the 140,000 people who died,

90% were women (Ikeda, 1995).

Both men and women experience increased workloads

during disasters, but women are primarily responsible for

food supply and water collection. Furthermore, women face

social, economic and political barriers that limit their coping

capacity. Secondly, when coupled with unequal access to

resources and to decision-making processes women in rural

areas are disproportionately affected by climate change.

In Bangladesh men tend to control income distribution,

property, access to credit, decision-making processes, and

sources of food. Women have limited access to and control

over natural resources, or money and more importantly are less

mobile and have limited access to information. On the other

hand, women virtually shoulder the whole responsibility of

looking after the children and protecting their families. Even

in normal times, women lack social power and their condition

is being aggravated by the increased demands on them.

Women’s welfare and involvement in economic activities is

essential to ensure the sustainable development of a country.

The social positioning of women in many situations means that

the roles they are expected to take on are often supportive

and reproductive centered on the home and local community

rather than the public sphere. This does not mean that

women do not play crucial roles in agricultural production

or other activities crucial to sustainable livelihoods and

national economies, but the roles they play are generally less

visible and attract less public recognition than the work men

engage in (IDS, 2008). This needs assessment report tries

to investigate some of these less visible aspects of women’s

livelihoods and the viable options for women affected by

climate change induced disasters in different eco-zones of

Bangladesh.

1.2 OBJECTIVES

The overall aim of this study is to form a comprehensive picture

of the needs of vulnerable women in maintaining sustainable

livelihoods in the face of climate change, and recommending

how their livelihoods can be improved and sustained in the

long term by developing viable livelihood options.

The specific objectives of the study are:

n To get better understanding of women’s livelihood

practices in the present situation

n To identify the impacts of climate change on climatic

hazard-prone rural livelihoods

n To assess climate resilient viable livelihood options for

women

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2.1 STUDY SITES

The study sites are selected based on vulnerability to

climate change induced disasters which are frequently faced

in Bangladesh. Three specific sites were selected during

the baseline study. Considering the climatic hazards and

other vulnerabilities such as economic, geophysical and

social contexts the study areas have been divided into three

different eco-zones: exposed coastal areas, drought-prone

areas and flood-prone areas. Ten Upazilas (sub-districts)

were also pre-selected. The most vulnerable Unions were

selected through consultation with key informants from

the baseline study. (Table 1) shows the name of selected

Unions for the study.

2.2 TARGET GROUPS

The key stakeholders, whose needs were assessed, fall

under the ultra-poor and poor females categories. A range

of groups were targeted, including female house hold

heads, female farmers and those in situations particularly

vulnerable to climate induced natural disasters, thus

ensuring a good number representing the whole union.

Other important stakeholders were local government

officials, from the Upazila level, respective union chairmen,

members (local government officials), female members,

social change makers including representatives of non-

government organizations (NGOs) and women’s associations.

M E T H O D O L O G Y2

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2.3 DATA COLLECTION

To assess the community needs of climate vulnerable women

in different climate hot spots, a wide range of Participatory

Rapid Appraisal (PRA) tools were used including in-depth

interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs) (Annex I) and key

informant interviews (KII) (Annex II) which all target data

collection from local people. For conducting needs assessment

surveys, the participatory needs assessment (PNA) tool was

developed by adapting existing formats, available on the Food

and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and CARE websites (Annex

III). A comprehensive needs assessment tool has been

developed which comprises of a seasonal community hazard

mapping, a mobility chart for women, seasonal livelihood

calendar for men and women, a hazard and livelihoods index

and a viable livelihood options index which are explained in

the next section.

Hazard mapping is a participatory tool which enables

researchers to become familiar with the community, and to see

how the community is perceived by different groups within

it. It is also used to identify important livelihood sources,

and who has access and control over them. Furthermore, it

identifies areas and resources at risk from climate hazards and

analyses changes in them.

Mobility mapping is a visual representation of the

movement of people within and outside their community.

The tool can identify issues and problems related to socially

differentiated mobility and access to resources (such as land,

water, health, and education services; information; capital;

and decision making).

A Seasonal Calendar is a participatory tool to explore

seasonal changes (e.g. gender-specific workload, diseases,

income and expenditure) to learn about changes in livelihoods

over a year and to show the seasonality of agricultural and

nonagricultural workload, food availability, human diseases,

gender-specific income and expenditure, water, credit and

holidays.

Using these needs assessment tools the impacts of natural

hazards and climate change on women’s livelihood can be

measured. A number of multi-stakeholder community meetings

were also held in all the study Unions, in which stakeholders

were invited to provide information. The needs assessment of

viable livelihoods for women is proposed based on primary

data (PRA, KII, FGD, PNA, PVA and in-depth interviews),

secondary data, needs assessment tools (seasonal community

hazard mapping, mobility chart for women, seasonal livelihood

calendar for women, hazards and livelihood index) and impacts

of natural hazards or climate change on women livelihoods

(Figure 2).

Table 1: Name of the study area

Geo-physical Eco-zones District Upazila (Sub-district) Union

Coastal Areas

Satkhira Shyamnagar Munshigonj

Khulna Koyra Uttar Betkashi

Patuakhali Kalapara Latachapli

Cox’s Bazar Teknaf Sabrang

Bagerhat Mongla Chadpai

Drought-prone AreasChaipainawabganj Nachol Nachole

Natore Singra Kalam

Flood-prone Areas

Shariatpur Bhedarganj Mohishar

Sunamganj Jamalgonj Jamalgonj

Sirajgonj Kazipur Shuvogacha

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The FGDs and the community meetings were held in the

villages at schools, community organizations and youth clubs,

where participants discussed issues in detail and expressed

their views freely and independently. The participants were

requested to come together at common and convenient places

and the research team (one facilitator and two recorders) clearly

explained the purpose of the meetings. It was also informed

that participation was voluntary and anyone had the right to

refuse to answer questions and if they wished. Participants

helped to establish a respectful appreciation for their valuable

contributions to the needs assessment. All participants had

full freedom and were encouraged to ask questions at any

time during the session and accordingly, consent from each

of the participants was taken using the pre-developed format.

The availability of the livelihood assets and local people’s

affordability and access were noted in the seasonal livelihoods

calendar. The local communities’ observations were gathered

using several participatory tools such as seasonal hazards

calendars, hazards impacts on livelihoods index, mobility

charts and Venn diagrams. Rural people provided information

related to ongoing changes in the study area’s climate and also

the probable future conditions of the livelihood assets.

The PRA team facilitated a guided discussion in such a way

so that no single person could dominate the process and

everyone got a chance to contribute in the discussion to

build a shared understanding of the issues. The participants

of multi-stakeholder community meetings were UP

representatives (chair/members), UP women members, village

level vulnerable women, local school teachers, members of

civil society and male and female farmers. The purpose of the

meeting was to ensure the outputs of the needs assessment

are as relevant and useful as possible.

2.4 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Since the methodological approach was PRA, qualitative

analysis was thus a core method in analyzing the data

collected. In addition, ranking exercises, calendars and

timelines generated some quantitative data, which allowed

for numerical comparisons between communities and different

ecological zones. All the field notes and tape recorded

information were transcribed by the research assistants in

Figure 2: Flow Chart of Methodology and Data Collection

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Bengali to ensure quality and to avoid any misinterpretation.

In the data analysis phase, themes were identified for

content analysis and coding transcripts into sub-themes. The

interpretation of data conducted was based on a combination

of coding summaries, contextual field notes, and descriptions

provided by direct quotes from participants.

2.5 INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FRAMEWORK

Situating this research in an international human rights

framework situates it in the realm of disaster risk reduction

and climate change from a gender perspective as well as a

gender content area from a disaster risk reduction (DRR) and

climate change adaptation (CCA) perspective.

DRR/CCA Standards

The UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR)

has taken steps to include gender in its DRR plans of action

under the Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA). In this regard,

three main principles in mainstreaming gender issues into

DRR were incorporated:

1. Ensuring equal access to educational opportunities for

vulnerable women,

2. Developing early warning systems which take gender and

cultural livelihoods into account and

3. Utilizing a gender perspective in decision-making processes

when implementing risk management policies.

Identifying women’s role as powerful agents of change and

implementing gender responsive disaster risk reduction is also

addressed in the resolution adopted by the General Assembly

for International Strategy for Disaster Reduction March 2013,

A/RES/67/209:

…in order to reduce risk, increase resilience and provide a

smoother transition between relief, recovery and development,

and in this regard recognizing the need to integrate a gender

perspective into the design and implementation of all phases

of disaster risk management…

Gender and Human Rights StandardsAs this research aims to look at issues specifically for women,

it is important to refer climate change from an international

women’s human rights perspective. The 44th session of the

Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

Against Women (CEDAW) stated in a committee on gender and

climate change (July-August 2009):

From CEDAW’s examination of State Parties reports, it is apparent that climate change does not affect women and men in the same way and has a gender-differentiated impact. However, women are not just helpless victims of climate change – they are powerful agents of change and their leadership is critical. All stakeholders should ensure that climate change and disaster risk reduction measures are gender responsive, sensitive to indigenous knowledge systems and respect human rights.

PRA session is operated by the researchers at Koyra Upazila in Khulna

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In addition, the Commission on the Status of Women

Conclusions in 2014 (E/CN.6/2014/L.7) state:

Agreed Conclusion No. 34. The Commission is deeply

concerned that climate change poses challenge to the

achievement of sustainable development and that women

and girls are disproportionately affected by the impacts of

desertification, deforestation and natural disasters, persistent

drought, extreme weather events, sea-level rise, coastal

erosion and ocean acidification, is also deeply concerned

that the adverse impacts of climate change on women and

girls, especially those living in poverty, can be exacerbated

by gender inequality and discrimination…

Promote the integration of a gender perspective in

environmental and climate change policies and strengthen

mechanisms and provide adequate resources to ensure women’s

full and equal participation in decision-making at all levels on

environmental issues… on the lives of women and girls, and

ensure a comprehensive approach to address the hardships

faced by women and girls by integrating their specific needs

into humanitarian response to natural disasters and into the

planning, delivery and monitoring of disaster risk reduction

policies to address natural disasters and climate change, and

ensuring sustainable management of natural resources…

2.6 THEORETICAL APPROACH

The approach taken by this needs assessment draws

from a human rights and social exclusion analysis for

women’s empowerment in disaster resilient growth. In

this conceptualization Rasid and Shafie, the authors of

the Bangladesh Ministry of Food and Disaster Management

Guidebook for Gender and Social Inclusion in Disaster Risk

Reduction, look at the interlinkage of women’s empowerment,

with that of equality of opportunity and equity of outcomes.

This approach to empowerment acknowledges that men and

women have different needs and interests, and that mostly

women’s practical needs rather than their strategic interests

are looked at in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate

change adaptation (CCA). Secondly it looks not at preserving

the pre-disaster/ adaptation situation, but to move forward

with women’s strategic interests to a situation of equity of

outcomes.

It is clear that women are not a homogenous group. As they

comprise approximately half of the population of Bangladesh,

and since this needs analysis uses a vulnerabilities lens, we are

looking at the most climate resilient and practical livelihood

alternatives and practices for the most vulnerable women. In

September 2012 the UN Human Rights Council adopted the

UN’s Guiding Principles on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights

that recognizes vulnerability is a structural issue and calls

for a transformation of those economic, social and cultural

practices that perpetuate it1. The word ‘vulnerable’, according

to International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a function

of the character, magnitude and rate of climate variation to

which a system (or individual) is exposed; its sensitivity; and

adaptive capacity (IPCC, 2001).

1 UNISDR (2013) Background Paper on Issues of Vulnerability and Gender, p. 6.

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This study takes vulnerability further with its gendered

characteristics illustrating marginalization and invisibility. In

a study of climate hazards in Bangladesh, Terry Cannon looked

at five components of vulnerability: the initial conditions

of a person, the resilience of their livelihoods (the focus of

this study) their opportunities for self-protection, and their

access to social protection and social capital. He talks of a

strong link of vulnerability in Bangladesh with that of poverty,

and this is true in that poor women are more vulnerable than

other women and men. Intersectionality illustrates various

types of vulnerabilities that may be acting at the same time

and women may inhabit all these types of vulnerabilities: the

very poor, low class/caste, disabilities, HIV positive, migrant,

landless, single headed households etc. In each case women

suffer more than men with the same vulnerability. This means

that in a vulnerability assessment we need a clear gender lens,

whilst looking simultaneously at other specific aspects that

increase women’s disadvantage.

Empowerment‘Individuals acquiring the power to think and act freely,

exercise choice, and to fulfill their potential as full and

equal members of society.’ The following factors may be

included:

l Acquiring knowledge and understanding of gender

relations and the ways in which these relations may be

changed

l Developing a sense of self-worth, a belief in one’s

ability to secure desired changes and the right to

control one’s life

l Gaining the ability to generate choices and exercise

bargaining power

l Developing the ability to organise and influence the

direction of social change to create a more just social

and economic order, nationally and internationally.

Equality of OpportunityWomen should have equal rights and entitlements to human, social, economic, and cultural development, and equal voice in civil and political life.

Equity of OutcomesThe exercise of equal rights and entitlements leads to outcomes which are fair and just, and which enable both women and men to have the same power to define the objectives of development.

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Durjog Shohisnu Dol –Disaster Resilient Group

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VULNERABILITIES WOMENMAY FACE OR MAY BEACCENTUATEDDURING DISASTERS

Source: Elaine Enarson (2006). SWS Fact Sheet: Women and Disaster

l live below the poverty line;

l rely upon state supported social services;

l lack savings, credit and insurance;

l lack inheritance rights, land rights and control;

l be unemployed or work in the informal economy;

l be self-employed, home based, contingent workers;

l reside alone, be rearing children alone;

l depend on functioning care giving systems;

l depend on public transportation, travel with dependents;

l reside in public housing, mobile homes, rental housing, informal settlements;

l live at risk of assault and abuse;

l be displaced into domestic violence shelters;

l be responsible for others (family, kin, neighbors) as paid and unpaid caregivers;

l physically depend on others due to late pregnancy, recent childbirth, age, chronic illness;

l be living with disabilities, chronic illness ;

l be subject to gender norms controlling mobility and use of public space;

l be subject to male authority in the household regarding use of emergency assistance assets and key decisions about evacuation and relocation.

Elaine Enarson articulates areas where women suffer social, gender and

economic vulnerabilities from inequality, making them more at risk in

disasters. These characteristics indicate women are more likely to:

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To look into this multilevel vulnerability, it is important to

note that specific vulnerabilities are exactly that, specific

for a given place and time and change in different seasons,

across climate conditions and their stage of health, pregnancy,

and age. The focus on vulnerabilities should not consider all

women or vulnerable women as always vulnerable. Again

referring back to the principle of empowerment, this links to

human rights of women in what this needs assessment report

refers to as an approach to gender justice.

A gender justice approach comes back to the issues of

equality of opportunity and equity of outcomes, and thus the

need for men to be brought into the work on gender equality,

especially as this gender construction interacts in the family

and community context between men and women, boys and

girls every day. In looking at increasing women’s access

to sustainable livelihoods, this is not possible unless the

multitude of their vulnerabilities is addressed, not merely one.

The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework created by DFID (see

below) can also be used to illustrate the logic of decreasing

vulnerabilities due to disaster and climate change impacts

leading to sustainable livelihoods. The most vulnerable

women that we are addressing in this project are poor

(financial capital) women who currently face discrimination

in access and control of resources and decision making

(human and social capital) in farming areas that are highly

at risk of disaster and climate change (natural capital).

Investing in women’s skills, decision making capacity and

access to resources in an approach to equality and equity,

leads to empowered local women with more reliable crops,

clean energy and decreased vulnerability. These women can

then impact on, and be supported by more gender sensitive

policies and institutions.

Fig 3: DFID’s Sustainable Livelihoods Framework

LIVELIHOODS ASSETSShocks

Trends

Seasonability

VULNERABILITYCONTEXT

POLICIESINSTITUTIONS

PROCESSES

Law

Culture

Policies

Institutions

Levels ofgovernment

Privatesector

LIVELIHOODOUTCOMES

More income

Increasedwell-being

Reducedvulnerability

Improved foodsecurity

Moresustainbaleuse of NR base

SocialCapital

PhysicalCapital

HumanCapital

FinancialCapital

NaturalCapital

LIVELIHOODSTRATEGIES

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Almost every year, Bangladesh experiences disasters such as

tropical cyclones, tidal surges, coastal erosion, floods and droughts.

The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) river basin is one of the

most populous river basins in the world. Floods and droughts in the

GBM may affect, directly or indirectly, the fate of nearly one-sixth

of the population of the world (Chowdhury et al, 2012).

Among different hard-to-reach agro-ecological zones in Bangladesh

three areas i.e. exposed coastal areas, drought-prone areas and

flood-prone areas have been selected for the study. All the study

villages are experiencing a number of environmental and climate

change related problems including temperature rise, erratic rainfall,

prolonged droughts, sudden floods, frequent cyclones and tidal

surges. Slow onset of climate change and environmental problems

like the drawing down of ground water, salinity, arsenic and iron in

ground water, were also reported by the communities.

The report will focus specifically on the 3 eco zones of the study

sites, beginning with the coastal zone, followed by the drought

prone zones and finally those most exposed to floods. Each

section will outline the districts selected with hazards maps of

these areas. This will be followed by the gender impacts of these

hazards and recommends addressing them. The current diversified

women’s livelihoods are then investigated through a seasonal

livelihood calendar and a priority ranking of the climate impacts

on these livelihoods. The section will conclude with an analysis

of community needs and recommendations with a positive case

study of local women forging success with a sustainable and viable

livelihood model.

P R O F I L E O F T H E S T U D Y A R E A3

19

There are three main agricultural seasons in Bangladesh: kharif-12, kharif-2, and Rabi3. The major crops grown in the study areas

are jute, aus rice (broadcast) in the kharif-1 season and boro rice, mustard, chili, coriander, and pulses in the Rabi season. In

the kharif-2 season, however, the water depth becomes too high in the flood-prone areas, so no crops can be grown, except in

limited areas where deep-water Aman4 rice is grown.

2 Kharif—pre-monsoon and monsoon growing season.

3 Rabi—dry (sunny) growing season, (including both the cool winter and hot pre-monsoon seasons)

4 Aman—group of rice varieties grown in the monsoon season and harvested after the monsoon season.

Figure 4: Location of the study area in different ecological zones in Bangladesh

20

The southernmost part of Bangladesh is bordered

by about 710 km of coastal belts, where cyclones,

storm surges, salinity intrusion and coastal erosion

are common. The coastal belt has been identified as

a problem area due to different climatic disasters,

complex hydro geological conditions and adverse

water quality, which make safe water supply difficult.

Similar to other areas in the coastal belt, Satkhira,

Khulna, Bagerhat, Patuakhali and Cox’s Bazar districts

are also associated with an acute drinking water

crisis. The salinity of the contour lines has proved that

the Bagerhat district is more vulnerable to salinity

and the unit of salinity is 10 ppt. Cyclone surges in

the Bagerhat and Patuakhali districts are very high

(above 1 meter high) and these districts are the most

vulnerable to cyclonic hazards. In this context, the

coastal belt, especially the exposed areas and islands

are the most hazard-prone hard-to-reach areas in

Bangladesh.

C O A S T A LZ O N E4

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4.1 CLIMATIC HAZARDS WITH SEASONALITY FOR THE COASTAL STUDY AREA

Coastal communities face multiple vulnerabilities more

varied and more intensive than those faced by most of

the more inland-situated communities. The major threats

faced by people living in the coastal zone are cyclones

and storm surges, floods, drainage congestion and water

logging, droughts and salinity intrusions, erosion and

deteriorating ecosystems. This is aggravated by a greater

probability of increased rainfall during the monsoon season,

less precipitation in winter, higher temperatures and sea

level rise leading to adverse impacts on the livelihoods

of people in the coastal zones (Ahmed and Wilde, 2010).

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amira

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der

The southernmost part of

Bangladesh is bordered by

about 710 km of coastal

belts, where cyclones,

storm surges, salinity

intrusion and coastal

erosion are common.

22

For this study, three regions of the coastal area have been

selected: Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat district in the south-

west coast; Patuakhali district in the south-center coast and

Cox’s Bazar district in the southeast coast of Bangladesh.

Figure 5 shows the status of climate-induced hazards with

seasonality in the study sites of the coastal areas. The PRA

sessions of hazards seasonality revealed that the coastal zones

and their people, especially women, are very vulnerable, where

tropical cyclones, storm surges, flooding, salinity intrusion,

droughts, cold waves, water logging and bank erosion hazards

cause major damage every year. Tidal surge intensity is very

high in the months of June, July and August in the study

area. Salinity intrusion intensity is extreme in the months of

March, April and May. In addition, the people of coastal area

are severely affected by tornadoes and droughts in April and

flooding and erosion hazards severely in the months of August

and September. The field data also revealed that October and

November are the months of Norwester hazards in the coastal

areas.

4.2 IMPACT OF COASTAL WEATHER HAZARDS ON WOMEN

The rivers in the delta are shifting their courses and these

new islands built of silt (Char) house people (known as char

dwellers) who live with some of the most at risk situations as

the very land under their feet may be taken away by the river

with the onslaught of a disaster. They are severely at risk of

tidal surges and cyclones. As mentioned, the coastal region

are also more prone to cyclones and in 1991 of the 140,000

people who died in the cyclone of that year, 90% were women

(Ikeda, 1995).

Women are more at risk due to their familial roles in caring

for children, the sick and elderly, they are often unable to

swim, and they often have limited mobility. But it is not only

that women are more vulnerable in terms of death and injury,

the impacts after climate hazards are also greater, as those

dying of water borne diseases can be higher than that from

the disaster itself. Women’s vulnerability extends into the

Tropical Cyclone

NATURAL HAZARDS WITH SEASONALITY IN COASTAL AREA

Tidal surge

Cold wave

Drought

Salinity intrusion

Tornadoes

Flooding

Water logging

River erosion

Hazard risk intensity: Medium

Norwester &Autumn Storm

HazardsMonths

J-F F-M M-A A-M M-J J-J J-A A-S S-O O-N N-D D-J

Mag Fal Cha Boi Joi Asr Sra Vad Ash Kar Agh PouMonths (Bengali)

(English)

High

Fig 5: HAZARD seasonality developed through PRA sessions

23

aftermath and recovery in many ways and takes various forms

from social, cultural, religious, economic and personal (safety

and violence). The Bangladesh government Guidebook on

Gender and Social Inclusion in DRR states “women are often

vulnerable to sexual harassment in pre and post disaster

situations” (Rashid and Shafie, 2009). After the 1991 cyclone

it was documented that young women were abducted and

abused, and it has also been reported that there has been

harassment in shelters, especially where there is not a separate

safe space for women to toilet, shower and sleep. Khondker

refers to how in Bangladeshi society women are prohibited

from outdoor activities for cultural and religious reasons,

but also points out that there are class issues here, as the

poorest often cannot afford to maintain these restrictions.

As such she expresses “the village women were caught in a

double bind. The cultural norms discouraged, if not proscribed

completely, their visitation to the relief centres, yet they had

very little choice (hunger being the alternative): when any

family member had to go, the lower status of the woman in

the family meant that she be it” ( Khondker, 1996: 289).

Farhana Sultana (2010: 47) states “some of the challenges

that men and women face are cultural and religious edicts

that local religious heads (imams) or social heads (matabbar,

mondol) may issue that reinforce gender roles rather than

enable changes”. The other side of this coin is that disasters

may bring opportunities to bring about a change in gender

roles which is more equitable and this will depend on local

contexts and individuals.

This needs assessment looks at how livelihood activities

can also be affected by and influence disaster management

for women during preparedness, response and recovery, and

need to be cognizant of these issues from the perspective

of information management, mobilisation of women and

women’s access to mobility, participation in decision making

and women’s roles in warning and response systems and

operations.

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Patuakhali District has been washed away by tidal surges

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4.4 DIVERSIFIED WOMEN LIVELIHOOD WITH SEASONALITY IN THE COASTAL AREAS

The investigation of study sites entailed an analysis of

existing qualitative information, which provides a preliminary

understanding of the livelihood pattern with seasonality in

the coastal areas. This section of the study tried to identify

the major livelihoods options undertaken by women of coastal

communities in different periods of the year. The seasonal

livelihood calendar for women in the coastal study area is

shown in Figure 7 illustrating that cattle and poultry rearing

and tailoring are practiced all the year round. Many female

household members are also involved fishing, crabs and prawn

collection which is seasonal and farm-based wage labour

in Rabi and Kharif-1 crop production is undertaken during

October to May in the coastal study areas.

SEASONAL LIVELIHOOD CALENDAR FOR WOMEN IN COASTAL AREA

Wage labour (Farm)

Wage labour (Non-farm)

Poultry rearing

Cattle rearing

Carb collection

Fishing

Prawn collection

Handicrafts & Swing

Tailoring

Homestead gardening

J-F F-M M-A A-M M-J J-J J-A A-S S-O O-N N-D D-J

Mag Fal cha Boi Joi Asr Sra Vad Ash Kar Agh PouMonths

(Bengali)Months

(English)

Livelihoods

n Prioritise and ensure women’s safety in shelters,

latrines and public spaces

n Enable equal access for women and girls to food and

nutrition

n Ensure access to women’s specific and gender sensitive

accessible medical care (female doctors, private spaces,

reproductive health)

n Increase gender awareness of migration push and pull

factors and the social and economic impacts on the

household

n Assistance from male members of the family with

collection of fuel and water

n Maintaining girls as well as boys in school as a priority

n Ensure women are represented in all decision making

on coastal management

4.3 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GENDER EQUITY IN COASTAL ZONES:

Fig 6: Seasonal Livelihood Calendar for Women in Coastal Area

25

4.5 DEGREE OF IMPACTS AND DURATION ON COASTAL WOMEN’S LIVELIHOODS

The study team investigated the degree of impacts and duration

of multiple climatic hazards in the coastal areas selected on

women’s livelihoods. A hazards calendar and impact matrix

rankings were applied to develop an index of climatic hazards

impacts on different women’s livelihood groups in the coastal

study areas.

Figure 7 shows the climatic hazards impacts. Among the

coastal women’s livelihood groups, farm-based wage labour

and farming livelihoods of castle rearing and poultry are

severely affected by all kinds of coastal hazards and ranked

as first and second respectively. The least affected, therefore

the most recommended areas are in prawn collecting and

tailoring.

Table 2 presents the adverse impacts on livelihoods during

climatic hazards in the coastal areas. Among the climate-

induced hazards, some are slow on set (salinity intrusion,

droughts) but create long term effects on livelihoods. The

PRA findings show that the substantial amount of increase of

Duck rearing as an alternative livelihood

coastal communities

Fig 7: NATURAL HAZARDS WITH SEASONALITY IN COASTAL AREA

LIVELIHOODSFORWOMEN

Wage Labour(Farm)

Cattle Rearing

Poultryrearing

Homesteadgardening

Carbproduction

Wage labor(Non-farm)

Handicrafts &swing

Fishing

Prawncollection

Tailoring

TropicalCyclone

Tidalsurge

Norsester & Autumn

Stom

ColdWave

Drought Salinity intrusion

Tomadoes Flooding Water logging

River erosion/

Embankment failure

Rank of being

Affected

Impact scale: (+++++ = Very high; ++++ = High; +++ = Moderate; ++ = Low; + very Low; --- = Insignificant)

+++++ ++++ +++ +++ ++++ +++++ ++++ +++++ ++++ +++++ 1

+++++ ++++ +++ ++ ++++ ++++ ++++ +++++ ++++ +++ 2

+++++ ++++ +++ +++ ++ +++ +++ +++++ ++++ +++ 3

++++ ++++ +++ + +++ ++++ ++ +++++ +++ +++ 4

++++ +++++ +++ +++ --- ++ --- +++++ ++ +++++ 5

+++ ++++ ++ +++ + +++ + +++++ +++ ++ 6

+++++ ++++ ++ ++ --- --- --- +++++ +++ ++ 7

+++ ++++ +++ --- --- ++ --- ++++ +++ +++ 8

+++++ +++++ +++ --- --- --- --- +++ ++ +++ 9

++++ ++++ + + --- --- + ++++ +++ +++ 10

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salinity is ultimately affecting the fresh water quality and in

turn the coastal habitats, agriculture, fisheries, aquatic plants

and animals in the ecosystem. Due to salinity intrusion, the

local community observed the following impacts: fodder and

pasture were not available for cattle, lack of fresh irrigation

water, domestic work hampered due to lack of fresh water

and severe water and sanitation problems. What is possible

though in saline water is shrimp and crab farming, and this

needs to be explored further.

A study that was conducted in 2002 in one of the sites for

this study, Khulna, compared, gross production, economic

output and employment potential of brackish water shrimp,

crab and moderately saline-tolerant tilapia and prawn culture,

freshwater carp culture and traditional rice production

systems (Salam, Ross and Beveridge, 2002: 477). Bangladesh

houses the largest continuous mangrove forest and this can

be harvested sustainably, with new saline intrusion creating

new farming opportunities. There is simultaneously a need

to protect the mangrove areas and not to over farm as the

mangroves also protection the coast from storms and cyclones.

Sustainable farming with marine fish, shrimp and crabs has

increased. The study by Salam, Ross and Beveridge found that

the best employment options measured through average annual

labour requirements per hectare of land was from prawn culture,

followed by crab, shrimp, carp, tilapia and rice cultivation

(2002: 491). Their study also conducted an evaluation of

agricultural by-products, including oil cake, rice bran, wheat

bran and other products for low cost animal feed that could

enhance aquaculture development. These products are very

sustainable and are using agricultural waste, making their

usage not only possible for women’s livelihood and personal

use, but are also a form of climate mitigation, and as such

highly advocated for usage and expansion.

The coastal women from this study cited crab farming as an

option, although shrimp farming was ranked much lower risk

due to hazards. This should be explored further along with the

production of agricultural by products, with increased training

and awareness for women in these industries as these could

be harnessed as viable livelihood options for more women in

coastal regions.

Salt cultivation by the coastal

communities at Teknaf Upazila

27

Table2: Adverse impacts on life and livelihoods during hazards in the coastal area

Types of Hazards Affected Livelihoods Specific Impacts on Life and Livelihoods

NorwesterandAutumn Storm

l Wage labor (Farm)l Cattle rearingl Poultry rearingl Homestead gardeningl Crab productionl Wage labor (Non-farm)l Handicrafts and swingl Fishingl Prawn collectionl Tailoring

u People can’t go out for worku Damage household physical structuresu Livestock diedu Fish pond damageu Agricultural crop and tree damage

Tidal surge l Wage labor (Farm)l Cattle rearingl Poultry rearingl Homestead gardeningl Crab productionl Wage labor (Non-farm)l Handicrafts and swingl Fishingl Prawn collectionl Tailoring

u Damage household physical structuresu Cattle and poultry damageu Fish pond damageu Agricultural crop damageu Damage homestead gardens and plantsu Road and embankment failure

Tropical Cyclone

l Wage labour (Farm)l Cattle rearingl Poultry rearingl Homestead gardeningl Crab productionl Wage labor (Non-farm)l Handicrafts and sewingl Fishingl Prawn collectionl Tailoring

u People injured and diedu Damage local and village physical structuresu Damage household level structuresu Severely damage cattle and poultryu Fish pond damageu Agricultural crop and tree damageu Damage homestead gardens and plantsu No scope for wage labour

Cold-wave l Wage labour (Farm)l Cattle rearingl Poultry rearingl Homestead gardeningl Crab Breedingl Wage labor (Non-farm)l Handicrafts and sewingl Tailoring

u Seasonal disease for cattle and poultryu Decrease agricultural crop production u Production fall due to lack of irrigation wateru Elderly people and children affected by diseaseu Crab are not available in low temperatureu Honeycombs are not available in low temperature

Drought l Wage labour (Farm)l Cattle rearingl Poultry rearingl Homestead gardeningl Crab productionl Wage labor (Non-farm)

u Lack of food for livestocku Damage agricultural production u Irrigation water is not availableu Increase salinity in water and soilu Lack of fresh water for domestic work

Salinity Intrusion l Crop farmingl Cattle rearingl Homestead gardeningl Farm-based wage labourl Household activities

u Fodder and pasture are not available for cattleu Increase salinity in water and soilu Lack of fresh irrigation water u Domestic work hampered due to lack of fresh wateru Severe water and sanitation problems u Health hazard for all family members

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4.6 COMMUNITY NEEDS AND RESOURCE MOBILIZATION FOR COASTAL WOMEN

Men and women face their social, economic and environmental

reality in different ways; how they participate is also different,

and depends on age, socio-economic class and culture.

However, across age and culture, usually women have fewer

assets than men to recover from natural disasters.

According to the community-based needs assessment survey,

women from poor households in the coastal areas suggested

to involve in poultry farming, cattle rearing and dairy farming,

tailoring and embroidery, grocery shops, homestead gardening,

vegetable farming, work in Government development projects

as KABIKHA (food for work) and making different types of

handicrafts like fishing nets, fish cages, bamboo-made goods

and snail shell made toys as viable livelihood options for the

exposed coastal areas in Bangladesh.

As the targeted community is very poor and vulnerable to

different types of climatic hazards, it is essential to know

what types of capital, resources and skill development

training will be needed to practice new livelihoods such as

crab and shrimp farming, which are conducive to increased

salinity. Identifying organisations to provide and support the

development of agricultural by products is also essential. In

addition, it is also necessary to know the social acceptance

and future risks of these livelihood options in the community.

In this regards, Table 3 presents the needs assessment of the

viable livelihood options identified by coastal women in the

study sites.

Types of Hazards Affected Livelihoods Specific Impacts on Life and Livelihoods

Tornado l Crop farmingl Livestock rearingl Homestead gardeningl Household activities

u People injured and diedu Damage household physical structuresu Livestock damageu Agricultural crop damage

Flood l Wage labour (Farm)l Cattle rearingl Poultry rearingl Homestead gardeningl Crab Breedingl Wage labor (Non-farm)l Handicrafts and sewingl Fishingl Prawn collectionl Tailoring

u Agricultural crops submerged under wateru Sand deposits on farmlandsu Food insecurityu Submerged homestead areau Damage household physical structuresu Submerged all tube-well and lack of safe drinking wateru Communication system disrupted

Water Logging l Wage labour (Farm)l Cattle rearingl Poultry rearingl Homestead gardeningl Crab productionl Wage labor (Non-farm)l Handicrafts and sewingl Fishingl Prawn collectionl Tailoring

u People can’t go out for worku Damage household physical structuresu Livestock diedu Fish pond damageu Agricultural crop and tree damage

River bank Erosion/Embankment Failure

l Wage labour (Farm)l Cattle rearingl Poultry rearingl Homestead gardeningl Crab productionl Wage labor (Non-farm)l Handicrafts and swingl Fishingl Prawn collectionl Tailoring

u People can’t go out for worku Damage household physical structuresu Livestock diedu Fish pond damageu Agricultural crop and tree damage

29

Table 3: Needs Assessment of the proposed viable livelihood options for coastal women

Proposed Livelihood Options

Justification Resource and Capital

Sources of Resource Mobilization

Skill Development Training Needs

Organizations need to support

Future risks orconstraints

Poultry farm l Investment cost is lowl Suitable for femalesl Limited resources neededl Can be operated from

inside the home

l Seed moneyl Product

marketingl Vaccinationl Poultry feed

u MFIsu Schedule Banku Veterinary

Hospitalu NGOsu GOs

l Incubator training

l Feeding processl Poultry rearing

training

u Veterinary Hospitalu Department of

Livestocku Directorate of Youth

Development Officeu NGOs

l Natural hazards

l Disease (Bird flu)

Cattle rearing and dairy farm

l Limited labor neededl For cattle rearingl High demand in local

marketl Profit is very highl Availability of fodder

l Seed moneyl Product

marketingl Vaccination

and treatment

u MFIsu Schedule Banku Livestock

Hospitalu NGOsu GOs

l Training on primary treatment

l Feeding processl Cattle rearing

training

u Department of Livestock

u NGOsu GOs

l Natural hazards

l Transportation

Tailoring and embroidery

l Suitable for femalesl Limited resources neededl Can be continued during

disastersl Local demand is also high

l Seed moneyl Sewing

machinel Embroidery

machine

u NGOsu Cooperative

Societyu MFIs

l Cutting and sewing training

l Machine operation training

u SME Foundationu Directorate of Youth

Development Officeu NGOs

l Marketing

Handicrafts (Fishing net, fish cage, bamboo-made goods, snail-made toys)

l Suitable for both males and females

l Limited capital neededl Raw materials are availablel Can be continued during

disasterl Local demand is high

l Seed moneyl Product

marketingl Raw

materials

u NGOsu Cooperative

Society

l SME trainingl Skill

development training

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOsu SME Foundation

l Marketing

Small Business/Grocery shop

l Local Demandl Can be operated from

housel Limited effort is neededl Less affected by disasters

l Space allocation in the village market

l Shopsl Seed money

u MFIsu Schedule Banku NGOsu GOs

l SME training u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOsu SME Foundation

Homestead Gardening

l Possible to do in house country yard

l Easily managed by femalesl Local demand is highl Investment and running

cost is very lowl Limited efforts needed

l Seedsl Seed moneyl Product

marketing

u MFIsu NGOsu Upazila

Agriculture Extension

u Office

l Horticulture training

l SME training

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOsu MFIsu Upazila Agriculture

Extension Office

l Transportation l Attacked by

Insectsl Natural

hazards

Vegetable farm

l Easily managed by femalesl Local demand is highl Investment and running

cost is very lowl Limited efforts needed

l Seedsl Seed moneyl Product

marketing

u MFIsu NGOsu Upazila

Agriculture Extension Office

l Horticulture training

l SME training

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOsu MFIsu Upazila Agriculture

Extension Office

l Transportation l Attacked by

Insectsl Natural

hazards

Work in Govt. development projects (KABIKHA)

l Local alternative options of income

l Land resources is not needed

l No capital is needed

l Enrollment as a wage labour in local development projects

u UNO Officeu NGOsu LGED Officeu Union

Parishad Office

l Female safety net training

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOsu LGEDu 0Local government

l Rough weather

l Social Constraints

30

Migration is a well-established response by human societies

to ecosystem variability and changes. There are three types

of migration that were found in the study sites: overseas

(foreign) migration, rural to urban migration and rural to

rural migration. These seasonal and permanent migrations

are driven by both push and pull factors in the coastal and

flood-prone Bangladesh. The major push factors are salinity

intrusion, erosion of farming land and settlement areas,

landscape changes due to sea level rise (SLR), and water

logging and flood inundation. For these disaster-prone areas,

migration is considered as a coping strategy for their life and

livelihoods. Frequent floods and erosion induced settlement

migration have severe impacts on immovable assets such

as farmland, homestead area, ponds and trees. The victims

always face varying magnitudes of risk to their movable assets,

family and community kinship, post-erosion livelihoods, food

insecurity, lack of cooking and fuel facilities, drinking water

and sanitation facilities. In this fragile situation women are

more vulnerable than men, and this will be discussed further

in the next section.

© UN Women/2014/Nasif Ahmad

n Increase access to training for sustainable crab and

shrimp production and other salinity resilient farming

n Increase training in financial skills to plan for new

resilient coastal livelihoods including agricultural by

products

n Maximize the diversification of livelihoods to increase

economic security

n New livelihoods for women cannot involve a huge

increase in time unless other household members take

on other time burden activities women currently hold.

4.7 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COASTAL ZONE SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS FOR WOMEN

31

I used to be a tailor of clothes for 13

years and my husband used to work in

the lands as an agro-laborer. Things

were not perfect, but we were passing

our days. Our 13 year old daughter

Sanjida was in class seven at that

time. The cyclone changed everything.

Location: Vill: Kachharibari, Union: North Bedkashi,

Upazila: Koyra, District: Khulna.

‘Handicraft, woodcraft and embroidery – all these three activities have changed my way of life’, said 38 year old Shafia Begum. ‘We lost our livelihood means after Aila. But now we are very happy, we have found a different livelihood practice that can be done in bad weather conditions too’.

The look on Shafia’s face was almost audible as she recalled the massively destructive cyclone Aila that hit the coastal zone of Bangladesh in 2009. “Our lives almost stopped after the cyclone,” reflected Shafia. “The demand of tailoring was almost nothing, and my husband lost his job due to most of the land being destroyed by saline water. We were at a complete loss.”

Shafia told of intense hardship as she had to find manual labour digging land and selling fish just to meet ends. Her daughter’s education almost stopped due to their economic crisis. After starting her handloom business though, Shafia states that her entire life changed for the better. “I am now not only earning sufficiently right from my home, but my daughter is able to continue her studies properly, which I think is one of my best achievements.”

Building a handloom requires a wooden structure that costs around 700 tk to construct. The material is available in the local markets and the local carpenters have adequate knowledge in building, making replication for other households easy. Shafia claims that 24 families have started this business after they saw her success in it, and all of them have taken it up as an alternative source of income in the climate stricken coastal area.

“All that needs to be ensured is the supply of the cloth material at all times, to ensure smooth running of the business. This is especially true in times of disaster, when if the supply can be ensured, there is no reason for someone’s income to be hampered due to the disaster.”

Shafia mentioned that a local NGO took the initiative to train individuals interested to take up this business and were providing the raw materials necessary. They were also helping in the networking between different individuals in the business and the buyers and sellers.

The handloom work, which entails mainly designing cloth material for clothes such as Salwar Kameezes, Blouses, Panjabis and Fatuas, is easy to learn and requires only the purchase of the cloth material which is obtained from a local organization. In

return, for each cloth material designed, they earn a revenue of 250 tk, and can design up to four pieces of cloth material every week.

“The best part of it though,” continued Shafia, “is that the structure used in the process is light weight and can be dismantled for transport, which can sometimes become a necessity in times of disaster. And since it is an inside task, it is not impacted by disasters like cyclones or tidal surges and income is not affected in times of disaster.”

Shafia says that she formed a committee with other women of the area and was elected to be president of this committee. After learning that a local NGO was conducting handloom training, she arranged for 24 women from her committee to be trained at this NGO. All of them are now working in the handloom business.

CASE STUDY COASTAL ZONE

© UN Women/2014/ BCAS

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In recent decades, the hydro-climatic environment

of northwestern Bangladesh has suffered from

many droughts of major magnitudes which worsen

the existing water scarcity situation. According to

the National Drought Mitigation Center (2006),

Bangladesh has shown an increased frequency of

droughts in recent years. Every year Bangladesh

experiences a dry period for seven months, from

November to May when rainfall is normally low. Since

1971, Bangladesh has suffered severe droughts in

1973, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1992, 1994, 1995,

2000 and 2006. The 1973 drought was one of the

most severe and was responsible for the local famine

in northern Bangladesh in 1974. Even in the 1975

drought, 47% of the country was affected (Task

Force Report 1992). Rural women are the principal

producers of basic food items and the agricultural

sector is very exposed to risks of droughts and

uncertain precipitation; climate endangers food

security in addition to the wellbeing of families and

their capacities to survive (FAO, 2007).

D R O U G H TP R O N E A R E A5

33

5.1 Climatic Hazards with Seasonality for the Drought Prone Study Area

For this study, Chapainawabganj and Natore districts have

been selected as drought-prone areas in Bangladesh to

investigate. Figure 8 shows the situation of climate-induced

hazards with seasonality in these drought-prone areas.

The PRA sessions of hazards seasonality revealed that the

women of these drought-prone areas are very vulnerable to

Norwesters, autumn storms, droughts, cold waves, fog, hail

storm, and river bank erosion causing major damage every

year. The field data also revealed that the months of December

and January are highly vulnerable to fog, which reduces

agricultural production extensively. Sudden hailstorms also

destroy the standing crops from March –April.

Drought intensity is very high in the months of March, April

and December. As a result water levels deplete and many

water bodies (ponds, canals and ditches) become dry (Photo

4). The intensity of cold waves is extreme in the months of

December-January.

Fig 8: NATURAL HAZARDS WITH SEASONALITY IN DROUGHT-PRONE AREA

Norwester &Autumn Storm

Cold wave

Drought

Fog

Flooding

Hail

River erosion

HazardsMonths

J-F F-M M-A A-M M-J J-J J-A A-S S-O O-N N-D D-J

Mag Fal Cha Boi Joi Asr Sra Vad Ash Kar Agh PouMonths (Bengali)

(English)

Hazard risk intensity: Medium High

Irregular rainfall heavily impacted on agriculture and crop production

© UN Women/2014

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5.2 Impact of Drought Prone Weather Hazards on Women

It is clear that droughts cause a scarcity of clean water and

adequate food, and these two facts change women’s days to

being spent in pursuit of clean water, fuel and food. This

may leave no additional time for any livelihood activities,

depending on the severity of the drought. The distance and

safety issues related obtaining water and fuel may also put

women and girls physically at risk of violence, harassment

and sexual assault. In a study by Rahman reported in 2013,

it was reported that 72.5% of women were responsible for

collecting drinking water during a disaster. The simple act

of having more men engaged in this activity could provide

greater opportunity for women to engage more actively in

livelihood activities as well as protect their personal health

and safety.

Women also eat less amounts and quality of food than men as

a coping mechanism during disasters. This leads to women

being less healthy, and considering they are doing heavy

work in the collection of water and fuel, adds to women’s ill

health. This is a vicious cycle for women as they bear the

majority of household tasks, and caring for family members,

their access to essential food, clothing and education, yet

they are the most at risk of health. This is a false economy

and women need to reverse these trends. Cannon refers to

how “women’s poorer nutritional status is a key aspect of

their reduced capacity to cope with the effects of a hazard

(Cannon, 2009: 14). This is compounded as women become

weaker they are more prone to water borne and other diseases

and suffer additional mental strain. There is a need to address

women’s vulnerability, and as they rise from vulnerability and

their health becomes stronger, they can increase their role in

decision making in livelihoods, but until this happens, they

cannot be expected to provide increased and new livelihood

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options. Men have a crucial role to play in this context,

to allow women to have increased roles in livelihood, and

increase the household income, they need to take on some

of the household tasks including the collection of water and

fuel, and they need to ensure the nutritional status of women

and girls for the health of the whole family.

Again it is essential to include training on the gender analysis

matrix for the role of women in disaster management (at the

end of this report) in all livelihood activities for them to

address key issues for gender equity and sustainability and

allow livelihood activities to be successful.

Droughts also lead to migration due to the need for productive

work. This often is the male head of the household and

Farhana Sultana refers to how this leads to destablising

families, where desertion, divorce and polygamy can lead to

women’s increased economic vulnerability (Sultana, 2010,

48). When these households become women headed the

statistics for their levels of poverty increase and their access

to resources and sources of resilience decrease. In some cases,

especially female headed households, the women themselves

may migrate due to lack of employment, and here an OXFAM

study in Bangladesh found that women ended up as the urban

poor in the informal sector. Their work included domestic

work, brick breaking, sewing, jute bag making, ash selling,

fish and vegetable vending, selling rice cakes and working in

the garment factories (WEDO, 2008). If sustainable resilient

livelihoods can be found in the drought prone areas much of

this rural-urban migration could be prevented, and women’s

standards of living and family cohesion could improve.

5.4 DIVERSIFIED WOMEN LIVELIHOOD WITH SEASONALITY IN THE DROUGHT-PRONE AREA

Women in these study sites are engaged in different types of

primary and secondary livelihoods like farm-based wage labor,

non-farm wage labor, cattle and poultry rearing, tailoring,

handicrafts and sewing. The seasonal livelihood calendar for

women in the drought-prone area is shown in Figure 8. This

calendar shows that cattle and poultry rearing and tailoring are

practiced all the year round. Many marginal female household

members are also involved in farm-based wage labor in Rabi

and Kharif-1 crop production during November to June and

some female household members, belonging to extreme poor

families, are active in wage labour in brickfields and some local

government development works like KABIKHA (work for food)

programs in the drought-prone study areas.

5.5 DEGREE OF IMPACTS AND DURATION ON DROUGHT-PRONE WOMEN’S LIVELIHOODS

Agriculture, as well as other rural livelihoods is badly affected

by climate hazards in drought-prone areas. Every year

Bangladesh’s dry season lasts for seven months, consequently,

droughts occur mostly in the pre-monsoon (March to May) and

post-monsoon (October to November) seasons.

The term ‘Monga’ is a local term which means range scarcities

that suddenly affect the people of drought-prone northern

Bangladesh during a particular period in the year. The Monga

is closely associated with various issues, like landlessness,

seasonal unemployment, lack of alternative income and lack

of purchasing capacity for daily necessities that often leads

to chronic impoverishment and starvation. This is influenced

by various physiographic phenomena, like soil, climate and

agro-ecological factors.

Figure 10 shows the climatic hazards impacts on different

women’s livelihoods in the drought-prone areas. The hydro-

climatic risks of flooding, droughts, cold waves, storms and

erosion have direct relevance to an area’s crops and cropping

system. A short period of no rainfall may induce water stress

to crops leading to substantial yield losses. Most crops are

highly sensitive to droughts during the time of flowering.

In the drought-prone study areas, the Rabi crops are certain

n Enable equal access for women and girls to food and

nutrition

n Enable women’s access to provision and training on

deep tube wells

n Assistance from male members of the family with

collection of fuel and water

n Ensure women are consulted at all stages of drought

management on their needs and concerns

5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GENDER EQUITY IN DROUGHT ZONES

36

to experience drought during November-April if irrigation is

not provided. The Kharif-1 crops, such as jute, which is sown

between mid-March and mid-May, are also almost certain to

face water stress after sowing if irrigation is not provided.

Many of the women engaged in tailoring, sewing and making

handicrafts at household levels can continue their work all

the year-round. These activities are less impacted (impact

scores of 5 and 6 respectively) by climatic hazards as they are

performed inside buildings.

Among the climate induced hazards, some are slow-on-set

(droughts) and some are rapid (floods, erosion) which create

long term effects on livelihoods. The local communities in the

study have observed the following impacts from floods and

erosion: agricultural crops are submerged under water, sand

deposits on farmlands, food insecurity, submerged homestead

areas, damaged household physical structures, domestic work

hampered due to lack of fresh water and severe water and

sanitation problems faced by women. According to the PRA

exercises, the major impacts from drought are the lack of

food for livestock, damaged agricultural production, irrigation

water not being available, lack of fresh water for domestic

work and wage labour not being available.

Fig 12: SEASONAL LIVELIHOOD CALENDER FOR WOMEN IN FLOOD-PRONE AREAS

J-F F-M M-A A-M M-J J-J J-A A-S S-O O-N N-D D-J

Mag Fal Cha Boi Joi Asr Sra Vad Ash Kar Agh PouMonths(Bengali)Months

(English)

Livelihoods

Wage labour (Non-farm)

Wage labour (Farm)

Poultry rearing

Cattle rearing

Farming

Garments worker

Horticulture

Small & petty business

Homestead gardening

Durjog Shohisnu Dol receiving Livelihood training

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5.6 COMMUNITY NEEDS AND RESOURCE MOBILIZATION FOR DROUGHT-PRONE WOMEN

According to culture in the rural areas of the study sites,

married women who are not engaged in field agriculture are

usually confined to the homestead, however they are willing

to work outside provided the husband agrees. In this respect,

when families in drought-prone areas are unable to hire full-

time hired labor, family members, particularly women, are used

to fill these gaps. When traditional agro-based livelihoods are

vulnerable, women need to find alternative viable livelihood

options to recover from poverty.

The community-based needs assessment survey found that

drought-prone women suggested poultry farming, cattle

rearing and dairy farming, tailoring and embroidery, grocery

shops, homestead gardening, tree plantation, laha cultivation

and different types of handicrafts like making fishing net,

fish cage, bamboo-made goods and winter seasonal cake

(pitha) making as viable livelihood options. However, as the

targeted community is drought prone, the issues of wage

labour, livestock and agricultural production are most at risk.

This illustrates that women may not be able to see the most

sustainable livelihoods themselves, but they suggest more of

the same of what they have been doing. There is a need

for a great deal more diversification and for innovation with

drought resistant crops and livestock. Swans have been found

to be a type of poultry that can withstand a great deal less

water than ducks and they are more resilient to cold waves.

Table 6 presents a needs assessment of the proposed viable

livelihood options women suggested in the drought-prone

sites, the most resilient to climate changes are tailoring and

embroidery, handicrafts, small businesses, pitha production

and Laha cultivation.

There is a need for external knowledge to be brought into

drought affected areas to offer new viable livelihoods, with

new resources and skill development training. It is also

necessary to work simultaneously on social acceptance and

future risks of these livelihood options in the community.

Impact scale: (+++++ = Very high; ++++ = High; +++ = Moderate; ++ = Low; + very Low; --- = Insignificant)*Only for Kalam Union of Natore district

Wage Labour(Farm)

Wage Labour(Non-Farm)

Poultryrearing

Cattle Rearing

Handicrafts &swing

Tailoring

Norwester & Autumn Stom

Cold-wave Drought Hail Flooding* River erosion/ Embankment

failure*

Rank of being affected

++ +++ ++++ ++ ++++ + 1

++ +++ +++ --- +++ ++ 2

+++ +++ ++ --- + + 3

+++ ++ ++++ --- + + 4

++ +++ --- --- + + 5

+ +++ --- --- + + 6

Fig 10: CLIMATIC HAZARDS IMPACT ON LIVELIHOOD IN DROUGHT-PRONE

LIVELIHOODSFOR WOMEN

38

Table 4: Adverse impacts on life and livelihoods during hazards in the drought-prone areas

Hazards Affected Livelihoods Specific Impacts on Life and Livelihoods

Norwester l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Poultry rearing

l Cattle rearing

l Handicrafts and sewing

l Tailoring

u People injured

u People can’t go out for work

u Damage household physical structures

u Agricultural crop and tree damage

Cold-wave l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Poultry rearing

l Cattle rearing

l Handicrafts and sewing

l Tailoring

u Seasonal disease for cattle and poultry

u Decrease agricultural crop production

u Production fall due to lack of irrigation water

u Elderly people and children affected by disease

Drought l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Poultry rearing

l Cattle rearing

u Irrigation water is not available

u Lack of food for livestock

u Damage agricultural production

u Lack of fresh water for domestic work

u Wage labour is not available

Flood* l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Poultry rearing

l Cattle rearing

l Handicrafts and sewing

l Tailoring

l Homestead gardening

u Agricultural crops submerged under water

u Sand deposits on farmlands

u Food insecurity

u Submerged homestead area

u Damage household physical structures

u Submerged all tube-well and lack of safe drinking water

u Collapse sanitation systems

u Communication system disrupted

u Seasonal disease for cattle and poultry

u Damage livestock fodder

Riverbank erosion* l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Poultry rearing

l Cattle rearing

l Handicrafts and sewing

l Tailoring

u Damage household physical structures

u Agricultural crop damage

u Agricultural land and settlement damage

u Damage roads and embankment

Hail l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Poultry rearing

l Cattle rearing

l Handicrafts and sewing

l Tailoring

u People injured and died

u Damage household physical structures

u Livestock damage

u Agricultural crop damage

39

Table 5: Needs Assessment of proposed livelihoods for drought-prone women

Proposed Livelihood Options

Justification Resource and Capital

Sources of Resource Mobilization

Skill Development Training Needs

Organizations need to support

Future risks

or

constraints

Poultry farm l Suitable for females

l Limited resources needed

l Can be managed from inside home

l Limited efforts needed

l Investment cost is medium

l Seed money

l Product marketing

l Vaccination

l Poultry feed

u MFIs

u Schedule Bank

u Livestock Hospital

u NGOs

u GOs

l Incubator training

l Feeding process

l Poultry rearing training

u Livestock Hospital

u Department of Livestock

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOs

l Natural

Hazards

Cattle rearing and dairy farm

l Suitable for females

l Limited resources needed

l Can be operated from inside the home

l Limited labor needed

l High demand in local market

l Profit is very high

l Availability of fodder

l Seed money

l Product marketing

l Vaccination and treatment

u MFIs

u Schedule Bank

u Livestock Hospital

u NGOs

u GOs

l Training on primary treatment

l Feeding process

l Cattle rearing training

u Department of Livestock

u NGOs

u GOs

l Natural

hazards

l Transportation

l Food crisis in drought season

Tailoring and embroidery

l Suitable for females

l Limited resources needed

l Can be continued during disasters

l Local demand is also high

l Seed money

l Sewing machine

l Embroidery machine

u NGOs

u Cooperative Society

u MFIs

l Cutting and sewing training

l Machine operation training

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOs

u SME Foundation

l Marketing

Handicrafts

(Fishing net, fish cage, bamboo-made goods)

l Suitable for both males and females

l Limited capital needed

l Raw materials are available

l Can be continued during disaster

l Local demand is high

l Seed money

l Product marketing

l Raw materials

u NGOs

u Cooperative Society

l SME training

l Skill development training

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOs

l Marketing

l Transportation

Small Business/

Grocery shop

l Local Demand

l Can be operated from house

l Limited effort is needed

l Less affected by disasters

l Space allocation in the village market

l Shops

l Seed money

u MFIs

u Schedule Bank

u NGOs

u GOs

l SME training u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOs

u SME Foundation

l Security

Homestead Gardening

l Possible to do in house country yard

l Easily managed by females

l Local demand is high

l Investment and running cost is very low

l Limited efforts needed

l Seeds

l Seed money

l Product marketing

u MFIs

u NGOs

u Upazila Agriculture Extension Office

l Horticulture training

l SME training

l Pesticide training

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOs

u MFIs

u Upazila Agriculture Extension Office

l Transportation

l Attacked by Insects

l Natural hazards

Vegetable farm l Easily managed by females

l Local demand is high

l Investment and running cost is very low

l Limited efforts needed

l Seeds

l Seed money

l Product marketing

u MFIs

u NGOs

u Upazila Agriculture Extension Office

l Horticulture training

l SME training

l Pesticide training

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOs

u MFIs

u Upazila Agriculture Extension Office

l Transportation

l Attacked by Insects

l Natural hazards

Tree Plantation l Easily managed by females

l Investment and running cost is very low

l Limited efforts needed

l Plants

l Space

l Sow mills

u NGOs

u Upazila DoF

u Cooperative Society

l Horticulture training

l Pesticide training

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOs

u Upazila Agriculture Extension Office

l Transportation

Winter-seasonal Cake Making (Pitha)

l Easy to make by females

l High demand

l Investment is low

l Limited efforts needed

l Capital

l Raw materials

l Packaging

l Marketing

u NGOs

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u Cooperative Society

l Cake making training

l Packaging training

l Raw materials preservation system

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOs

u MFIs

l Preservation process

l Marketing

Laha(Lac) Cultivation

l Locally available materials is needed

l Easily managed by females

l Investment and running cost is very low

l Limited efforts needed

l Capital

l Seed-worm

u NGOs

u MFIs

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u Cooperative Society

l Training on cultivation

l Processing training

u NGOs

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u Cooperative Society

l Marketing

40

5.7 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DROUGHT RESILIENT SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS FOR WOMEN

n Increase access to training for economic

activities which are drought resilient, e.g.

swan production and indoor activities

n Increase training in financial skills to

plan for drought seasons and maximize

marketing of goods before drought season

n Minimise reliance on cattle and poultry due

to their high risk for all climatic hazards

n Maximize the diversification of livelihoods

to increase economic security

n New livelihoods for women cannot involve

a huge increase in time unless other

household members take on other time

consuming activities women currently hold.

41

“Day by day the temperature is increasing and we are feeling it. The

drought is also prolonged. We are running short of water. Everywhere we

see only barren lands”, said Kulsum, a 30 year old woman of Makrapur

village of Nachole, Chapai Nawabganj. “Day by day we are losing our

livelihood. Crops are not growing properly, the vegetable gardens are

dying without water and fodder collection is almost impossible. Once

we found out that swan rearing was suitable here, we have recovered

from our financial stress. Although swans are species of ducks, they do

not require much water to survive. So we started rearing swans in our

homestead. Usually women in our area assist their husbands in post-

harvest crop processing, but do not go to fields. Other than assisting

their husbands, women usually rear cow and poultry in their houses;

however swan farming on a commercial basis is very popular now. Many

females are now engaged in this activity. Males usually collect the eggs

for hatching or buy the mother swan from markets, and females look after

them and feed them on a regular basis” relayed Kulsum.

“Except swan or poultry rearing, the women in our area are also involved

in tailoring, stitching, embroidery, handicrafts, laha production and in

mango gardening, but swan rearing is easy and now, more that 80%

households of our village have swans. Droughts are the main natural

disaster in this area. In winter severe cold waves also cause a great

problem, but the swans are strong enough to survive these conditions.

During cold waves the swans need some extra care. They must be caged

at night. Sometimes different wild animal such as foxes and wild cats

attack the swans. Different training and medications and vaccinations

are essential to develop swan rearing. Now we are happy and earn

money by selling swans and eggs. By this way we are coping with

prolonged droughts,” said Kulsum, with a smiling face.

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Day by day the temperature is

increasing and we are feeling it.

The drought is also prolonged. We

are losing our livelihood. Crops are

not growing properly, the vegetable

gardens are dying without water and

fodder collection is almost impossible.

CASE STUDY Drought Prone Zone

42

The rivers of Bangladesh have a combined peak

discharge (in the flood season) of 180,000 m3/sec

(the second highest in the world, after the Amazon)

and they carry approximately two billion tons of

sediment each year. Two-thirds of the country is less

than 5 meters above sea level and is susceptible to

river and rainwater flooding and, in lower-lying coastal

areas, to tidal flooding during storms (MoEF, 2009).

In South Asia, the Fourth Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change (IPCC) Report predicts that monsoon

rainfall will increase, resulting in higher monsoon

season river flows; these rivers flow into Bangladesh

from India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China (IPCC, 2007).

F L O O D P R O N EA R E A S6

43

6.1 CLIMATIC HAZARDS WITH SEASONALITY FOR THE FLOOD-PRONE STUDY AREA

Floodplains occupy 80% of Bangladesh with mean elevations

ranging from less than 1 meter in tidal floodplains, 1 to 3

meters on the main river and estuarine floodplains, and up to

6 meters in the Sylhet basin in the northeast (Rashid, 1991).

For this study, three types of flood-prone areas have been

selected: the first one is the Active Ganges Floodplain on the

river Padma under Shariatpur district, the second one is the

active Brahmaputra Jamuna Floodplain on the River Jamuna

in the Sirajganj district and the last is the Surma-Kusiyara

Floodplain in the Sunamganj district.

The study location of Shariatpur district is located in the

lower Padma riverine area and is an area of high floods

and river erosion where vulnerable poor people often suffer

repeated and multiple shocks to their lives, their settlements,

and their livelihoods. These areas suffer river floods, flash

floods, cold waves, droughts and bank erosion hazards which

cause major damage every year. Figure 6 shows the status of

climate-induced hazards with seasonality in the study sites

of the flood-prone areas. Heavy rainfall occurs in the months

of July and August in the floodplain study area. When water

levels in the three major rivers rise simultaneously and cross

the danger marks, severe river floods usually occur all over

the country.

Flood damage has both socioeconomic and spatial dimensions.

Floods cause considerable damage to standing crops,

livestock, houses, transportation and communication systems,

educational and other social facilities. It also seriously affects

the livelihood of the flood-prone communities. In addition

to flood disaster, the floodplain people also face recurrent

riverbank erosion disasters. Many households in the study

area are forced to move away from their homesteads due

to this riverbank erosion and floods which cause trees and

homesteads to be washed away within a short period of time.

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In addition Sunamganj district is highly prone to flash flooding.

This type of flood is characterized by rapid rising water and

inundation, the onset range of which can vary between a few

minutes and a few hours. This type of flood occurs mostly

in the north-central, northeastern and southeastern parts

of the country. River erosion consumes fertile agriculture

land, homestead and other infrastructure that destroys the

livelihood options of the people of flood-prone areas during

the months of July to August. In Sunamganj sudden flooding

washes away the crops in the months of June, July and

August which are prone to severe flash floods. Locals are

also severely affected by cold waves and fog hazards in the

months of January and February. Norwesters hit in April and

October from the south and southwest side and cause huge

structural settlement damage and agricultural destruction,

and the months of March and April are prone to hail which

also causes huge agricultural loss.

6.2 IMPACT OF FLOOD PRONE WEATHER HAZARDS ON WOMEN

Floods cause many difficulties that are specific for women.

Firstly more women die than men due in part from the mobility

of their clothes and their restrictions to the household areas.

Their care for children and the elderly hamper their survival

skills in a flood, as does their inability to swim. Loss and

damage also have specific impacts as the loss of food and

cooking utensils, fuel and safe water are major hardships for

traditional gender roles in feeding and caring for the family

members.

There are specific female health issues during floods from

lactation for nursing mothers, to increased perineal rashes

and urinary tract infections in adolescent girls as they are not

able to adequately clean their menstrual rags (WHO 2005, in

Rahman, 2013: 70). Wider health issues are due to unclean

water and lack of medical facilities or women doctors.

Poor health is coupled with less food and nutrition. The

social norm in Bangladesh is for women to eat after men,

and women throughout the world tend to volunteer the best

and most food to the men and children, leaving the least for

themselves. This leads to women becoming weak, yet their

workload during disasters increases.

In addition to these increased stressors on women are the

increased workloads of their daily tasks such as collecting

Flooding

River Erosion

Heavy Rainfall

Hail

Norwester &Autumn Storm

Cold wave

Drought

Fog

Flash Flood

Fig 11: NATURAL HAZARDS WITH SEASONALITY IN FLOOD-PRONE AREA

Hazard risk intensity: Medium

HazardsMonths

J-F F-M M-A A-M M-J J-J J-A A-S S-O O-N N-D D-J

Mag Fal Cha Boi Joi Asr Sra Vad Ash Kar Agh PouMonths (Bengali)

(English)

High

45

clean water fuel, provision of food and other household and

caring duties. The increased workload can lead to girls being

pulled out of school to assist with these daily tasks (if schools

are still functioning). Women’s weakness, workload and stress

is compounded by their lack of personal safety as women

are more at risk of rape and assault during times of disaster.

Rahman talks of “the shame attached to leaving the house

and moving in public”, making women less likely to inhabit

shelters during disasters (2013: 80). Once women are however

in a shelters there is also “eve-teasing, domestic and public

sexual harassment and violence against women and girls” that

has been documented (Rahman, 2013:78).

For many of these reasons, even without considering the

livelihood activities and economic issues, there are some

basic gender equity issues that need to be addressed for any

economic activities to make any lasting changes to women’s

lives.

Flood preparedness activities can also include swimming

lessons for women and girls; awareness on the need for

women to leave the house and access safe shelter as well

as awareness and training for men on the need for women

to be able to increase their mobility and be free from shame

and other discriminatory cultural norms. Rescue and recovery

committees should also receive gender sensitive DRR and DRM

training and develop checklists to put in place during flood

seasons and disasters.

6.4 DIVERSIFIED WOMEN’S LIVELIHOOD WITH SEASONALITY IN THE FLOOD-PRONE AREA

The women from floodplain regions are engaged in different

types of primary and secondary livelihoods such as farm-

based wage labour, non-farm wage labour, cattle and poultry

rearing, horticulture, homestead gardening, small and

petty business and work in garment factories. The seasonal

livelihoods calendar for women in the flood-prone area is

shown in Figure 9.

Livestock are important for the flood-prone communities for

multiple purposes: plowing, threshing and transportation of

crops, agriculture, supplying manure and sources of food and

nutrition, and cash income. Livestock are especially important

for the flood-prone people that do not have farmlands to

cultivate or capital to conduct small businesses (Islam, 2012).

In particular, one of the advantages in the island char areas is

the availability of spacious uncultivated land, which provides

people with a good opportunity to rear livestock. The seasonal

livelihoods calendar shows that cattle and poultry rearing are

practiced all the year round. However, these are also highly

vulnerable to climate hazards of all kinds.

Among women of the study area, specifically in Sirajgang,

handloom, including string processing, dyeing and sewing,

is a common livelihood practiced most of the year. Many

marginal female household members are also involved in farm-

based wage labor in Rabi and Kharif-1 crop production during

November to May, and some female household members,

coming from poor families, are involved in wage labour in

garment factories, and some local government development

works like KABIKHA (work for food) program.

n Ensuring and prioritising women’s safety in shelters,

latrines and public spaces

n Equal access for women and men to food and

nutrition

n Access to women’s specific and gender sensitive

accessible medical care (female doctors, private

spaces, reproductive health)

n Assistance from male members of the family with

collection of fuel and water

n Maintaining girls as well as boys in school as a

priority

n Ensure women’s voices as well as men’s voices are

heard at all stages of flood management (from

preparedness to recovery) on their specific gendered

needs and concerns

n Ensure women and men are represented on all

decision making and rescue/recovery committees

6.3 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GENDER EQUITY IN FLOOD PRONE ZONES:

46

In the riverine flood-prone areas, riverbank erosion increases

the percentage of landless people and contributes to the

excess supply of agricultural wage labor, which causes severe

underemployment resulting in further impoverishment (Islam

et al., 2006).

6.5 DEGREE OF IMPACTS AND DURATION ON FLOOD-PRONE WOMEN’S LIVELIHOODS

Figure 13 shows the climatic hazards impacts on different

women’s livelihoods in flood-prone areas and their direct

impact on crops and cropping systems.

Since the flood-prone study areas are located within and

alongside the main rivers, which have large catchment areas

with a monsoonal climate, they are highly vulnerable to

flooding, erosion during the monsoon (June-October) with no

working opportunities in agriculture, hence agricultural wage

labourers migrate to urban and industrial areas at this time to

engage in multiple non-farm activities.

Table 6 presents the adverse impacts on livelihoods in the

flood-prone areas. Floods affect the Kharif crops, such as aus

rice, jute and aman rice, directly and the Rabi crops indirectly.

The rapid rise of flood water sometimes deters the farmers to

harvest the crops before the floods. The local community has

observed the following impacts: agricultural crops submerged

under water, sand deposits on farmlands, food insecurity,

submerged homestead area, and damaged household physical

structures, domestic work hampered due to lack of fresh water

and severe water and sanitation problems especially faced by

women.

According to the qualitative survey findings, the women of

Sunamganj have little awareness of climate change and its

impacts on the environment and ecology, however increasingly

the initiatives of GOs and many NGOs working in this area

are helping to increase awareness. The study revealed that

the climate vulnerable communities are also affected through

children’s education, maternal and neo-natal child health and

other women’s health issues.

6.6 COMMUNITY NEEDS AND RESOURCE MOBILIZATION FOR FLOOD-PRONE WOMEN

The community-based needs assessment survey for the flood-

prone women suggested that poultry farming, cattle rearing

and dairy farming, tailoring and embroidery, grocery shops,

Fig 12: SEASONAL LIVELIHOOD CALENDER FOR WOMEN IN FLOOD-PRONE AREAS

J-F F-M M-A A-M M-J J-J J-A A-S S-O O-N N-D D-J

Mag Fal Cha Boi Joi Asr Sra Vad Ash Kar Agh PouMonths(Bengali)Months

(English)

Livelihoods

Wage labour (Non-farm)

Wage labour (Farm)

Poultry rearing

Cattle rearing

Farming

Garments worker

Horticulture

Small & petty business

Homestead gardening

47

homestead gardening and different types of handicrafts like

making fishing nets, fish cages, bamboo-made goods and

winter seasonal cake (pitha) making are viable livelihood

options for the flood-prone areas in the study sites. As the

targeted community is very poor and vulnerable to different

types of hazards, cattle and poultry are high risk and if they

are continued they need to be offset with a diversity of other

non-seasonal and climate resilient forms of livelihood.

Of the livelihoods practiced, the lowest risk were tailoring,

handloom, homestead gardening, handicrafts and horticulture.

Provision of needs-based skill development training in

different sectors like cutting and sewing, horticulture and

micro enterprise training and handloom work are all areas for

exploration. Capital, resources and skill development training

will again be needed, especially for women to actively engage

in new livelihoods. As with coastal areas and droughts, again

it is necessary to know the social acceptance and future risks

of new livelihood options in the community. Table 7 presents

the needs assessment of the proposed viable livelihood

options put forward by flood-prone women in the study sites.

*Flash flood is only observed in Jamalganj Upazila, Sunamganj

Fig 13: NATURAL HAZARDS WITH SEASONALITY IN THE STUDY AREA (COASTAL AREA)

Wage Labour(Farm)

Cattle Rearing

Poultryrearing

Homesteadgardening

Carbproduction

Wage labor(Non-farm)

Handicrafts &swing

Fishing

Prawncollection

Tailoring

Norwester& Autumn

Storm

Hail Coldwave

Drought Fog Flooding Heavyrainfall

Flashflood*

River erosion/ Embankment

failure

Rank of Impact

Impact scale: (+++++ = Very high; ++++ = High; +++ = Moderate; ++ = Low; + very Low; --- = Insignificant)

++++ +++ +++ ++++ ++++ ++++ +++ ++++ ++++ 1

++ +++ ++ ++++ + ++++ +++ +++ +++ 2

++ +++ +++ ++ ++ ++++ + +++ +++ 3

++ ++ ++ ++ + ++++ ++ +++ ++++ 4

++ ++ ++ + + ++++ +++ +++ +++ 5

++ ++++ --- ++ --- +++ ++ ++ +++ 6

++ --- ++ --- --- ++ + ++ ++ 7

++ ++ + ++ + ++++ ++ + ++ 8

++ ++ + + --- ++++ + --- ++ 9

+ --- + --- --- ++ + + +++ 10

LIVELIHOODSFOR WOMEN

n Increase access to training for economic activities

which can be home or factory based (i.e. indoors and

flood proof)

n Increase training in financial skills to plan for flood

seasons and maximize marketing of goods before

flood season.

n Minimise reliance on cattle and poultry due to their

high climate risk for all hazards in flood prone areas.

n Maximize the diversification of livelihoods to

increase economic security

n New livelihoods for women cannot involve a huge

increase in time unless other household members take

on other time burden activities women currently hold.

6.7 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FLOOD RESILIENT SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODSFOR WOMEN

48

Table 6: Adverse impacts on life and livelihoods during hazards in the flood-prone area

Hazards Affected Livelihoods Specific Impacts on Life and Livelihoods

Norwester

and Autumn Storm

l Farming

l Cattle rearing

l Poultry rearing

l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Horticulture

l Handicrafts and swing

l Homestead gardening

l Handloom

l Tailoring

u People injured and died

u People can’t go out for work

u Damage household physical structures

u Livestock died

u Fish pond damage

u Agricultural crops and trees damage

Hail l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Wage labour (Farm)

l Farming

l Poultry rearing

l Cattle rearing

l Horticulture

l Handloom

l Homestead gardening

u Agricultural crops and trees damage

u Damage household physical structures

u People can’t go out for the work

u Vegetable and fruit garden destroyed

u Less opportunity for handloom work

Cold-wave l Farming

l Cattle rearing

l Poultry rearing

l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Handicrafts and sewing

l Homestead gardening

l Handloom

l Tailoring

u Seasonal disease for cattle and poultry

u Decrease agricultural crop production

u Production fall due to lack of irrigation water

u Elderly people and children affected by disease

u Decrease mobility and low income

Drought l Farming

l Cattle rearing

l Poultry rearing

l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Horticulture

l Homestead gardening

l Handloom

u Lack of food for livestock

u Damage agricultural production

u Irrigation water is not available

u Lack of fresh water for domestic work

u Wage labour is not available

Flood l Farming

l Cattle rearing

l Poultry rearing

l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Horticulture

l Handicrafts and sewing

l Homestead gardening

l Handloom

l Tailoring

u Agricultural crops submerged under water

u Sand deposits on farmlands

u Food insecurity

u Submerged homestead area

u Damage household physical structures

u Submerged all tube-well and lack of safe drinking water

u Collapse sanitation systems

u Communication system disrupted

u Seasonal disease for cattle and poultry

u Damage livestock fodder

u Damage hand-loom and power-loom textiles

u Decrease mobility and low income

49

Hazards Affected Livelihoods Specific Impacts on Life and Livelihoods

Riverbank erosion l Farming

l Cattle rearing

l Poultry rearing

l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Horticulture

l Handicrafts and sewing

l Homestead gardening

l Handloom

l Tailoring

u Damage household physical structures

u Agricultural crops and trees damage

u Agricultural land and settlement damage

u Damage roads and embankment

u Damage hand-loom and power-loom textiles

Fog l Farming

l Cattle rearing

l Poultry rearing

l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Homestead gardening

u Reduce agricultural production

u Disease for livestock

u Reduce agricultural production

u Reduce visibility for domestic work

u Reduce working hour in a day

Heavy Rain fall l Farming

l Cattle rearing

l Poultry rearing

l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Horticulture

l Handicrafts and sewing

l Homestead gardening

l Handloom

l Tailoring

u Agricultural crops submerged under water

u Food insecurity

u Submerged homestead area

u physical structures

u Submerged all tube-well and lack of safe drinking water

u Collapse sanitation systems

u Communication system disrupted

u Seasonal disease for cattle and poultry

u Damage livestock fodder

u Damage hand-loom and power-loom textiles

u Decrease mobility and low income

Flash Flood l Farming

l Cattle rearing

l Poultry rearing

l Wage labour (Farm)

l Wage labour (Non-farm)

l Horticulture

l Handicrafts and sewing

l Homestead gardening

l Tailoring

u Agricultural crops submerged under water

u Sand deposits on farmlands

u Food insecurity

u Submerged homestead area

u Damage household physical structures

u Submerged all tube-well and lack of safe drinking water

u Collapse sanitation systems

u Communication system disrupted

u Seasonal disease for cattle and poultry

u Damage livestock fodder

u Damage hand-loom and power-loom textiles

u Decrease mobility and low income

50

Table 7: Needs Assessment of proposed livelihoods for flood-prone women

Proposed Livelihood Options

Justifications Resource and Capital

Sources of Resource

Mobilization

Skill Development Training Needs

Organizations need to support

Future risks orconstraints

Poultry farm l Suitable for femalesl Limited resources neededl Can be managed from inside homel Limited efforts neededl Investment cost is medium

l Seed moneyl Product

marketingl Vaccinationl Poultry feed

u MFIsu Schedule Banku Livestock

Hospitalu NGOsu GOs

l Incubator training

l Feeding processl Poultry rearing

training

u Livestock Hospitalu Department of

Livestocku Directorate of Youth

Development Officeu NGOs

l Natural hazardsl Disease

Cattle rearing and Dairy farm

l Suitable for femalesl Limited resources neededl Can be operated from inside the homel Limited labor neededl High demand in local marketl Profit is very highl Availability of fodder

l Seed moneyl Product

marketingl Vaccination

and treatment

u MFIsu Schedule Banku Livestock

Hospitalu NGOsu GOs

l Training on primary treatment

l Feeding processl Cattle rearing

training

u Department of Livestock

u NGOsu GOs

l Natural hazardsl Transportationl Food crisis in

drought seasonl Disease

Tailoring and Embroidery

l Suitable for femalesl Limited resources neededl Can be continued during disastersl Local demand is also high

l Seed moneyl Sewing

machinel Embroidery

machine

u NGOsu Cooperative

Societyu MFIs

l Cutting and sewing training

l Machine operation training

u Livestock Hospitalu Department of

Livestocku Directorate of Youth

Development Officeu NGOs

l Marketingl Transportationl Lack of raw

materials

Handicrafts (Fishing net, fish cage, bamboo-made goods,)

l Suitable for both males and femalesl Limited capital neededl Raw materials are availablel Can be continued during disasterl Local demand is high

l Seed moneyl Product

marketingl Raw materials

u NGOsu Cooperative

Society

l SME trainingl Skill

development training

u Livestock Hospitalu Department of

Livestocku Directorate of Youth

Development Officeu NGOs

l Marketingl Transportationl Lack of raw

materials

Small Business/Grocery shop

l Local Demandl Can be operated from housel Limited effort is neededl Less affected by disasters

l Space allocation in the village market

l Shopsl Seed money

u MFIsu Schedule Banku NGOsu GOs

l SME training u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOs

l Security

Homestead Gardening

l Possible to do in house country yardl Easily managed by femalesl Local demand is highl Investment and running cost is

very lowl Limited efforts needed

l Seedsl Seed moneyl Product

marketing

u MFIsu NGOsu Upazila

Agriculture Extension Office

l Horticulture training

l SME trainingl Pesticide

training

u Directorate of Youth Development Office

u NGOsu MFIsu Upazila Agriculture

Extension Office

l Transportation l Attacked by

Insectsl Natural hazards

51

Location: Upazila: Jamalganj, District: Sunamganj,

Name: Kulsum, Age: 40

Kulsum from Jamalgonj Upazila, has a family of 5 with 3 children.

“Today, I have been able to build a strong and secure life for me and my

children, which even some years ago, was a dream that was fading very

fast. Deity making has enabled me to single handedly rescue myself and

my children out of a dark abyss, and I have shown that a woman can

do anything if she puts her mind to it.”

Due to tradition, she was forced to get married at a very early age to a

person who was an alcoholic. To support fund the consumption of his

alcohol her husband would sell things from the house. Eventually he

could pay little attention to his family as his addiction grabbed all of

his attention.

“I was thus left with no choice but to take the financial responsibility

of my family,” stated Kulsum; “I even had to travel outside my village to

try to make a living, but I could not earn enough to sustain my family.”

In this time of extreme need and hardship, her brother had to help, but

in the meantime one of the sons had also started drinking. “Eventually,

one of my relatives gave me the idea to produce deity, which is a

mandatory item that Hindus use during their puja and other religious

activities. I took the advice very seriously and started to make the

deity”, explained Kulsum.

She took the advice and training from several expert deity makers from

other villages and then started her own small scale production. She

took a loan from a local NGO and bought the necessary raw materials.

“Gradually, I became an expert maker myself and started to earn well

enough for myself and my family! I also started to train my son in this

art and very soon he too became an expert.”

Her son did well for himself and was even able to rent a shop in the

local market to sell his deity. She then explained with some pride that

her son had been awarded the best deity maker of the area and this also

increased their business tenfold. “Disasters like floods don’t impact the

business at all since deities can be made indoors.

CASE STUDY FLOOD PRONE ZONE

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PC

I was thus left with no choice

but to take the financial

responsibility of my family.

Received training from several

expert deity makers and took loan

from a local NGO then started

small scale production.

52

The present study is an exploratory research, which attempts

to address climate-induced vulnerability on women’s livelihood

issues. The study has explored livelihood options with

seasonality for climate vulnerable women in different eco-zones

in Bangladesh.

The women of these coastal, drought and flood-prone regions

pursue a range of livelihood options in agriculture, cattle and

poultry rearing, wage laboring (farm and non-farm), fishery,

tailoring and sewing, small and petty businesses and other

livelihoods highly dependent on natural resources. The lean

agricultural season is a hard time for most climate vulnerable

communities in Bangladesh. Due to deviation of climate

variability with seasonality, its impacts on women differ within

and between climate vulnerable ecological zones. Diversifying

livelihood strategies with a combination of options would

reduce the risks climate presents.

Discussion of each eco zone has concluded with a case study

of a positive climate change adaption—those featured include

handloom work conducted through lightweight looms in coastal

areas; swan rearing in drought prone areas and the production

of deities in flood prone areas. In many cases women suggested

more of the same livelihoods even though some such as

livestock and poultry rearing are high risk. There is a need to

increase women’s and community awareness of new options from

the development of agricultural and animal byproducts—oil, rice

husks, biomass and other waste products that can be converted

to green uses. New farming techniques and climate resilient

crops may be available or new farming practices, such as shrimp

and crab farming in areas where salinity has increased (coastal).

C O N C L U S I O N S A N DR E C O M M E N D A T I O N S7

53

In each of the eco zones the work of women indoors through

handicrafts and tailoring is advocated as these are not exposed

to the harsh climatic conditions. This is logical, and there

are many examples of excellent micro enterprises in these

areas that have assisted women’s economic empowerment.

However there is a need to be cautious that these handicrafts

do not reinforce gender stereotypes, and increase the working

day of women who are already time poor. There also need to

be adequate markets for women and their goods, and many

women cited that they were not getting good prices for their

goods as there were middle people in between the sales from

the village level to the markets. Women also have little

knowledge and power over pricing and price fluctuations.

Addressing disasters and climate change provides a unique

opportunity to challenge existing gender inequalities

within society and offers the possibility of introducing new

vocational choices which can mitigate climate change. There

is a need to provide training in gender equity and disaster

risk reduction and climate change adaptation for local

women farmers in areas highly prone to climate disasters

(vulnerability). Through support women will increase their

decision making for the local community and beyond. For the

process to be transformational, not just addressing women’s

leadership and access and control over resources, but working

actively with men and addressing their stereotyped gender

roles as well, there is a need to ensure that project initiatives

do not increase women’s time burden but lead to a more

equitable approach to development needs of the household

and community.

With women’s access to increased skills and resources they

will be able to work with men in sharing household work to

increase sustainable livelihoods by having less vulnerability

with cropping and access to energy. These gains need to be

institutionalized and feed into wider community processes to

ensure that these gains are both sustainable and replicated

and spread to other communities as good practice. Moving

women from vulnerable to active change makers in DRR/CCA

leads to lasting sustainable community development. This

approach can be more affective as it is institutionalized in

local and district level policies, support from organisations

and increased local capacity.

Below is a listing of all the recommendations which have been

developed throughout the needs assessment.

Recommendations1 a. Recommendations for gender equity in coastal

zones:

i. Prioritise and ensure women’s safety in shelters,

latrines and public spaces

ii. Enable equal access for women and girls to food

and nutrition

iii. Ensure access to women’s specific and gender

sensitive accessible medical care (female doctors,

private spaces, reproductive health)

iv. Increase gender awareness of migration push and

pull factors and the social and economic impacts

on the household

v. Assistance from male members of the family with

collection of fuel and water

vi. Maintaining girls as well as boys in school as a

priority

vii. Ensure women are represented in all decision

making on coastal management

1 b. Recommendations for coastal zone sustainable

livelihoods for women

i. Increase access to training for sustainable crab

and shrimp production and other salinity resilient

farming

ii. Increase training in financial skills to plan for new

resilient coastal livelihoods including agricultural

by products

iii. Maximize the diversification of livelihoods to

increase economic security

iv. New livelihoods for women cannot involve a huge

increase in time unless other household members

take on other time burden activities women

currently hold.

54

2. a. Recommendations for gender equity in droughts:

1. Enable equal access for women and girls to food and

nutrition

2. Enable women’s access to provision and training on

deep tube wells

3. Assistance from male members of the family with

collection of fuel and water

4. Ensure women are consulted at all stages of drought

management on their needs and concerns

2. b Recommendations for drought resilient sustainable livelihoods for women

i. Increase access to training for economic activities

which are drought resilient, e.g. swan production

and indoor activities

ii. Increase training in financial skills to plan for

drought seasons and maximize marketing of goods

before drought season

iii. Minimise reliance on cattle and poultry due to their

high risk for all climatic hazards

iv. Maximize the diversification of livelihoods to

increase economic security

v. New livelihoods for women cannot involve a huge

increase in time unless other household members

take on other time consuming activities women

currently hold.

3. a Recommendations for gender equity in floods:

i. Ensuring and prioritising women’s safety in shelters,

latrines and public spaces

ii. Equal access for women and men to food and

nutrition

iii. Access to women’s specific and gender sensitive

accessible medical care (female doctors, private

spaces, reproductive health)

iv. Assistance from male members of the family with

collection of fuel and water

v. Maintaining girls as well as boys in school as a

priority

vi. Ensure women’s voices as well as men’s voices are

heard at all stages of flood management (from

preparedness to recovery) on their specific gendered

needs and concerns

vii. Ensure women and men are represented on all

decision making and rescue/recovery committees

3. b Flood preparedness activities can also include swimming lessons for women and girls; awareness on the need for women to leave the house and access safe shelter as well as awareness for men on the need for women to be able to increase their mobility and be free from shyness and other discriminatory cultural norms. Rescue and recovery committees should also receive gender

Empowering women through climate resilent livelihoods

55

sensitive DRR and DRM training and develop checklists to put in place during flood seasons and disasters.

3. c Recommendations for flood resilient sustainable livelihoods for women

i. Increase access to training for economic activities

which can be home or factory based (i.e. indoors

and flood proof)

ii. Increase training in financial skills to plan for flood

seasons and maximize marketing of goods before

flood season.

iii. Minimise reliance on cattle and poultry due to their

high climate risk for all hazards in flood prone areas.

iv. Maximize the diversification of livelihoods to

increase economic security

v. New livelihoods for women cannot involve a huge

increase in time unless other household members take

on other time burden activities women currently hold.

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Yu, W. H., Alam, M., Hassan, A., Khan, A. S., Ruane, A. C., Rosenzweig,

C., Major, D. C., and Thurlow, J. (2010). Climate Change risks and food

security in Bangladesh, South Asian Region, Agriculture and Rural

Development Unit, Sustainable Development Department, the World

Bank, Earthscan Ltd., London, UK.

52nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (2008). Gender

perspectives on Climate Change: Issues paper for interactive expert panel

on Emerging issues, trends and new approaches to issues affecting the

situation of women or equality between women and men.

http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/csw52/issuespapers/

58

Checklist for Focus Group Discussion (FGD)

Guideline for Interview

Guideline for Community Consultation

Guideline for Case Study

A N N E X E S96162

6470

59

A. Livelihood related

1. What are the main livelihood practices and other associated

livelihood options in your area?

2. What are the main livelihood practices for female and other

associated livelihood options in your area?

3. What are the seasonal livelihood options of male in your area?

4. What are the seasonal livelihood options of female in your area?

5. Are they able to earn easily from these livelihood options?

6. If they are not able to earn easily from these livelihood options,

what are the barriers?

7. Impact of natural disasters on livelihood?

8. How the barriers can be removed?

B. Climate change hazards/ Disaster impacts

1. Are the people of your area especially the women, a ware about the

impacts of disasters?

2. What are the impacts of climate change induced disasters on children

education, hosing structure, fuel collection and other house hold

activities.

C. Knowledge and Practices about climate change:

1. Are the community people wanted to know about climate change,

coping, adaptation, risk reduction?

2. Who are giving information or advice to the community people on

disaster risk reduction, livelihood and climate change?

D. Migration

1. What is the migration status of male and female of your area for last

5 years? If they migrate, what types of livelihood options did they

adopt?

2. If migrated, what types of problem they faces and how the problem

can be removed? What are the merit and demerits of seasonal/

permanent migration?

E. Diversification of labor and decision making right:

1. What types of problem faced by the women during climate change

induces disaster (such as: communication, going market, purchasing

products, education, health, loan sanction etc.?)

F. Facing disaster and adaptation strategy:

1. What are the current barriers for coping with disasters in your area?

How the barriers can be removed? To overcome the barriers, do you

suggest some new livelihood or coping activities.

2. In disaster management activities by local government or government

organization is there any difference between male and female

participation? Are there any separate options for female in disaster

management activities? If there any, what are those options?

3. Does the community especially female of your area receive any

training on disaster management? If received any training, is there

any follow up session? Is there any awareness program arranged by

the NGO in your area, and what is the necessity of those programs?

G. livelihood and capacity buildup training

1. What types of livelihood options is necessary in your area for poor/

destitute women? What types of change in livelihood you observed

in last 5/10 years? what is the trend of the livelihood change?

2. Does the community want their next generation getting involved in

their existing livelihood? If no, why?

H. Social safety net program for Female

1. What are the main problems/barriers for the female for getting social

safety net services in you locality?

2. What types of social safety net programs are required for the elderly

and destitute women of your area? According to you what types of

facilities are essential?

3. What types of measures do you take for ensuring social safety net

program for the female during and post disaster period in your area?

4. How the female participation can be improved in different social and

local government activities? For this, what types of improvements

are essential for women?

Comprehensive Need Assessment on

REDUCING VULNERABILITY OF WOMEN AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH VIABLE LIVELIHOOD OPTIONS

Checklist for Focus Group Discussions

Focus Group Discussion (FGD)

2 Separate FDG should be conducted with male and female group. For conducting FGD, KII/ In-depth Interview checklist should be followed. Some

other topics on livelihood demand also need to be discussed.

60

Place and person of interview

l To identify the most vulnerable union, visit Upazila (Sub-District)

Nirbahi officer’s office and discuss with respective government

officials. The officials include:

l Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO)/ Project implementation officer (PIO):

(Any one)

l Upazila female welfare officer/ female Upazila chairman/ Social

welfare officer (If female): (Any one)

l Female NGO worker/ Female social leader: (Any one)

Total: Three Responsible People

Issues for discussion:

The aim of the study is to collect information of viable female livelihood

by climate affected female. The following issues should be discussed:

1. Local livelihood related information (male/female0

2. Impact of climate change on livelihood (Season and duration and

other issues)

3. Community people knowledge on climate change (male/female)

4. Migration for livelihood (male/female)

5. Adaptation options for existing local livelihood.

6. Initiatives for reducing impacts of climate change by government/

non-government organization.

7. Involvement of female in local social safety net program.

8. Alternate livelihood options for female by using local resources and

practices.

Guideline for Interview

Comprehensive Need Assessment on

REDUCING VULNERABILITY OF WOMEN AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH VIABLE LIVELIHOOD OPTIONS

Checklist for Focus Group Discussions

61

A. Livelihood related

1. What are the main livelihood practices and other associated

livelihood options in your area?

2. What are the main livelihood practices for female and other

associated livelihood options in your area?

3. What are the seasonal livelihood options of male in your area?

4. What are the seasonal livelihood options of female in your area?

5. Are they able to earn easily from these livelihood options?

6. If they are not able to earn easily from these livelihood options,

what are the barriers?

7. Impact of natural disasters on livelihood?

8. How the barriers can be removed?

B. Climate change hazards/ Disaster impacts

1. Are the people of your area especially the women, a ware about the

impacts of disasters?

2. What are the impacts of climate change induced disasters on children

education, hosing structure, fuel collection and other house hold

activities.

C. Knowledge and Practices about climate change:

1. Are the community people wanted to know about climate change,

coping, adaptation, risk reduction?

2. Who are giving information or advice to the community people on

disaster risk reduction, livelihood and climate change?

D. Migration

1. What is the migration status of male and female of your area for last

5 years? If they migrate, what types of livelihood options did they

adopt?

2. If migrated, what types of problem they faces and how the problem

can be removed? What are the merit and demerits of seasonal/

permanent migration?

E. Diversification of labor and decision making right:

1. What types of problem faced by the women during climate change

induces disaster (such as: communication, going market, purchasing

products, education, health, loan sanction etc.?)

F. Facing disaster and adaptation strategy:

1. What are the current barriers for coping with disasters in your area?

How the barriers can be removed? To overcome the barriers, do you

suggest some new livelihood or coping activities.

2. In disaster management activities by local government or government

organization is there any difference between male and female

participation? Are there any separate options for female in disaster

management activities? If there any, what are those options?

3. Does the community especially female of your area receive any

training on disaster management? If received any training, is there

any follow up session? Is there any awareness program arranged by

the NGO in your area, and what is the necessity of those program?

G. livelihood and capacity buildup training

1. What types of livelihood options is necessary in your area for poor/

destitute women? What types of change in livelihood you observed

in last 5/10 years? What is the trend of the livelihood change?

2. Does the community want their next generation getting involved in

their existing livelihoods? If no, why not?

H. Social safety net program for women

1. What are the main problems/barriers for the female for getting social

safety net services in you locality?

2. What types of social safety net programs are required for the elderly

and destitute women of your area? According to you what types of

facilities are essential?

3. What types of measures do you take for ensuring social safety net

program for the female during and post disaster period in your area?

4. How the female participation can be improved in different social and

local government activities? For this, what type of improvements are

essential for women?

Comprehensive Need Assessment on

REDUCING VULNERABILITY OF WOMEN AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH VIABLE LIVELIHOOD OPTIONS

Checklist for KII and In-depth Interviews

Name of the interviewee: Designation:

Location: Upazila: District: Time:

62

Place selection for the Workshop

The workshop should be conducted in a suitable place of most affected

union of an Upazila. The workshop venue should be any school, CBO

meeting room, Farmer’s Field School or in meeting room of Union

Parishad. But the most important issues, the place should be gender

friendly, where the female can come without any problem, can talk about

their problem and needs freely. Information of the following tables should

be collected properly. The tables should be drawn in large brown paper

sheet by the officials before conducting the workshop. At least two copy

and more of each table should be prepared.

Participant selection procedure

The project is for identification of viable female livelihoods that is why

during participant selection those female should be preferred those who

are poor, destitute and climate affected. Before main workshop session,

some startup discussion and ice breaking session should be conducted so

that the female can speak without any shy. Except poor female, the other

participants of the workshop should be local leaders such as Chairman,

female member, Female Local elites, female school teachers etc. But those

should be given preference, which are aware about the problems of local

females and their livelihood activities. The total number of participants

should be within 15-20.

Possible participants

l Union Parishad representative (UP Chairman/ Secretary/ Male

Member): Any 2

l Union Parishad female member: Any One

l Destitute/ Poor female (Landless/ Day labor): Any Three

l Local School Teacher: Any Two (One Male/ One Female)

l Representative from local leaders/ change makers: Any Three (One

Male/ Two Female)

l Male worker (farmer/ Fisher/ Other): Any Two

l Female Worker (housewife/ Farmer/ Fisher) Any Two

l (Male and female should be collected from separate households)

l Total 15 people

Issue should be discussed

The project is for identification of viable female livelihoods options

for climate affected area. That is why the following topics should be

discussed:

l Livelihood related information (Seasonal,

l Climate change/ Disaster impacts on livelihood

l Knowledge on disaster and climate change

l Migration for livelihood (Permanent or Temporary)

l Current adaptation strategies for livelihood

l Government/Non-government initiatives for reducing climate induced

disaster risk.

l Local Social Safety Net program

l Alternate and Viable livelihood options for female based on local

demand and resources.

1. Community Hazard Mapping (Male/ Female separate)

i. Union map will be supplied to the community people in workshop

ii. At first they will understand the map by the help of facilitator

iii. After understanding the map, two separate group of male and female

group will be formed and both groups prepare separate map by their

own.

iv. Community people will identify the climate induced disasters, write

their names and identify the affected places of their locality.

v. The affected places to climate change induced disaster will be

identified properly

vi. The role and place of action can be taken by female for adaptation

will also be find out through community consultation during mapping

Comprehensive Need Assessment on

REDUCING VULNERABILITY OF WOMEN AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH VIABLE LIVELIHOOD OPTIONS

Guideline for Community consultation workshop

Focus Group Discussion (FGD)

2 Separate FDG should be conducted with male and female group. For conducting FGD, KII/ In-depth Interview checklist should be followed. Some other topics on livelihood demand also need to be discussed.

63

2. S

easo

nal H

azar

d Ca

lend

ar (

Mal

e an

d fe

mal

e se

para

te)

Nam

e of

Disa

ster

s

Disa

ster

occ

urri

ng m

onth

s

Janu

ary

Febr

uary

M

arch

Ap

ril

May

Ju

ne

July

Au

gust

Se

ptem

ber

Octo

ber

Nov

embe

r De

cem

ber

Pous

h-

Mag

h

Mag

h-

Falg

un

Falg

un-

Choi

tro

Choi

tro-

Bois

hakh

Bois

hakh

-

Jois

tho

Jois

tho-

Asha

r

Asha

r-

Srab

on

Srab

on-

Bhad

ro

Bhad

ro-

Ashw

in

Ashw

in-

Kart

ik

Kart

ik-

Agro

hayo

n

Agro

hayo

n-

Pous

h

Ve

ry L

ess

impa

ct

Less

Im

pact

M

oder

ate

Impa

ct

Seve

re I

mpa

ct

1.

Com

mun

ity

peop

le w

ill id

enti

fy t

he n

atur

al a

nd c

limat

e in

duce

d di

sast

ers

and

wri

tes

thei

r na

me

in t

he le

ft c

olum

n ac

cord

ing

to t

he in

tens

ity.

2.

Afte

r w

riti

ng t

he n

ame

of d

isas

ters

, th

ey w

ill m

ake

the

mon

th o

f oc

curr

ence

usi

ng t

he a

bove

line

s

3.

The

thic

knes

s of

the

line

indi

cate

s th

e in

tens

ity

of d

isas

ter.

Thin

line

indi

cate

less

er im

pact

, th

icke

r lin

e in

dica

tes

seve

re im

pact

s.

64

3. S

easo

nal L

ivel

ihoo

d ca

lend

ar f

or M

ale/

Fem

ale

wit

h su

b ac

tivi

ties

(m

ale

and

fem

ale

sepa

rate

)

Nam

e of

Li

velih

ood

Acti

viti

es w

ith

sub

acti

viti

es

Nam

e of

mon

ths

Janu

ary

Febr

uary

M

arch

Ap

ril

May

Ju

ne

July

Au

gust

Se

ptem

ber

Octo

ber

Nov

embe

r De

cem

ber

Pous

h-M

agh

Mag

h-

Falg

un

Falg

un-

Choi

tro

Choi

tro-

Bois

hakh

Bo

isha

kh-

Jois

tho

Jois

tho-

Asha

r As

har-

Srab

on

Srab

on-

Bhad

ro

Bhad

ro-

Ashw

in

Ashw

in-

Kart

ik

Kart

ik-

Agro

hayo

n Ag

roha

yon-

Pous

h

1.

Com

mun

ity

peop

le w

ill id

enti

fy t

he p

rim

ary

and

seco

ndar

y liv

elih

ood

opti

ons

for

mal

e an

d fe

mal

e ac

cord

ing

to t

he im

port

ance

.

2.

Sub

acti

viti

es o

f an

y m

ain

livel

ihoo

d ac

tiva

te s

houl

d al

so in

clud

e in

the

tab

le.

3.

Afte

r w

riti

ng t

he n

ame

of t

he li

velih

ood

they

mar

k th

e le

ngth

of

the

acti

viti

es o

n th

e ch

art.

Sub

act

ivit

ies

of li

velih

ood

opti

ons

shou

ld a

lso

need

to

addr

ess

Exam

ple

is g

iven

in c

hart

.

4.

Line

Thi

ckne

ss w

ill in

dica

te t

he in

tens

ity

and

impo

rtan

ce o

f w

ork

in t

he r

espe

ctiv

e m

onth

.

65

4. Hazard and Livelihood Index including sub activities (Male and Female separate)

Livelihood activitiesWith sub activities Types of Hazards

Name of the disasters of the area

Flood Storm Drought Salinity

Sources of Livelihood Activities

Crop production (Kharip-1)

Crop production (Kharip-2)

Crop production (Robi)

Seasonal fishing

Livestock rearing

Ranking: + = Very low impact, ++ = Low Impact, +++ = Moderate Impact, ++++ = High impact, +++++ = Severe impact

1. Community people will write the name of livelihood activities on the left column and disaster on upper row of the table.

2. Later they will rank the impact of disaster on livelihood by using + Sign according to the above ranking.

5. Identification of impacts of disasters

Climate induces disasters Livelihood and livelihood Sub activities Impact of Disasters(with residual impact)

1. This table will identify the impacts of disaster on livelihood.

2. Community people will write the name of the disasters in the first column.

3. Different livelihood option of male and female during normal period will be written in the second column.

4. In third column they will write the impact of disasters on their livelihood written in the second column.

6. Identification of Viable Livelihood options for women

Climate change induces

disasters

Duration of Impact of

Disasters on livelihood

(with residual impact)

Existing livelihood

practices during disaster

Suggested Viable livelihood

options/ New livelihood

which can cope with future

disaster

Priority ranking of viable

livelihood option

1. Community people will write the name of different disasters in the first column.

2. In second column thy will write the duration of the disaster on livelihood.

3. In third column they will write the Existing livelihood practices during disaster

4. In fourth column they will write the Suggested Viable livelihood options/ New livelihood which can cope with future disaster

5. In fifth column they will rank the livelihood options (1st, 2nd, 3rd priority)

66

7. Needs for implementation of Viable Livelihood options (Female focused)

Viable livelihood options/ New livelihood which can cope with future disaster (Derived from the last column of previous table)

What assets are essential

for the specific viable

livelihood option

Which organization will support

assets for viable livelihood

option

What types of training need for viable

livelihood option

Which organization will support Training for

viable livelihood option

Any future challenge for viable livelihood

option

Any future social

constraint for viable livelihood

option

Recomm-endation for

solution

1. The above table will identify the Needs of viable livelihood options. The first column of this table will be filled up with livelihood options from the last column of the previous table.

2. In second column the name of assets should be written for formulation of viable livelihood option.

3. Third column will indicate the name of respective NGO/GO organization name those who give assistance for those assets.

4. The training need will be written in the n fourth column.

5. In the fifth column the name of the organization will be written who will provide the training.

6. In sixth column community people will write any future challenge for viable livelihood option (natural)

7. In seventh column community people will write any future challenge for viable livelihood option (Social)

8. In eighth column community people will write the recommendation of solution for the problems.

8. Livelihood Mobility Chart for female

Purpose of Travel of females Union Upazila District Capital Other places

Livelihood Activities

For selling crops III I I

Work for food allowance IIII

collecting VGD III

Other servicesfor Medical purpose IIII II I

child school purpose II

1. This table will represent the female mobility chart. In first column they will write the purpose of travel under two categories.

2. After writing the causes they will write the name of the places and the frequency of travel in those places

3. After that by using the tally mark (I) they will indicate the places according the importance.

67

9. I

dent

ifica

tion

of

Best

Pra

ctic

es o

f Li

velih

ood

opti

ons

Nam

e of

tw

o m

ost

succ

essf

ul

livel

ihoo

d op

tion

s of

th

e ar

ea

Nam

e of

th

e pl

ace

Vill:

Uni

on:

Upa

zila

:

Who

init

iate

th

at a

ctiv

itie

s (m

ale/

fe

mal

e) d

etai

l w

ith

nam

e

How

muc

h m

oney

spe

nd f

or

init

iati

ng t

hat

acti

viti

es (

wit

h la

bor

cost

)

How

muc

h be

nefit

pro

duce

or

can

be

prod

uces

fro

m

that

act

ivit

ies

(mon

ey)

Type

s of

the

ac

tivi

ties

(Ag

ri/

Fish

erie

s/

hous

ehol

d/

Cott

age

indu

stri

es

etc.

)

Perc

enta

ge

of v

illag

ers

invo

lved

in t

hat

acti

viti

es (

brin

g in

%)

In w

hich

di

sast

er t

hat

livel

ihoo

d op

tion

s/

acti

viti

es

affe

cted

? (

Brin

g de

tails

)

How

it c

an

be s

usta

ined

du

ring

dis

aste

r pe

riod

?

Whi

ch o

rgan

izat

ion

assi

sts

in n

ew/

exis

ting

live

lihoo

d op

tion

s? B

ring

th

e na

me

of t

he

orga

niza

tion

s

1.

In fi

rst

colu

mn

two

nam

es o

f tw

o m

ost

succ

essf

ul li

velih

ood

opti

ons

of t

he a

rea

shou

ld b

e m

enti

oned

.

2.

In s

econ

d co

lum

n th

e pl

ace

of o

rigin

of

thos

e ac

tivi

ties

sho

uld

be m

enti

oned

.

3.

Who

sta

rted

tha

t ac

tivi

ties

, br

ing

deta

il in

thi

rd c

olum

n.

4.

Tota

l cos

t fo

r in

itia

ting

tho

se a

ctiv

itie

s sh

ould

be

men

tion

ed.

5.

In fi

fth

colu

mn,

the

tot

al a

mou

nt o

f be

nefit

pro

duce

d or

can

be

prod

uced

fro

m t

hat

acti

viti

es (

in m

oney

) sh

ould

be

men

tion

ed.

6.

In s

ixth

col

umn

the

type

of

acti

viti

es s

houl

d be

men

tion

ed.

7.

% o

f vi

llage

rs in

volv

ed w

ith

that

act

ivit

ies

shou

ld b

e w

ritt

en in

the

sev

enth

col

umn.

8.

In e

ight

h co

lum

n th

e na

me

of d

isas

ter

shou

ld b

e m

enti

oned

tha

t af

fect

s th

at li

velih

ood

opti

ons/

act

ivit

ies.

9.

In n

inth

col

umn

the

opti

ons

shou

ld b

e m

enti

on f

or t

he s

usta

inin

g th

e liv

elih

ood

opti

ons/

act

ivit

ies.

10.

In la

st c

olum

n th

e na

me

of o

rgan

izat

ions

sho

uld

be m

enti

oned

who

ass

ist

the

livel

ihoo

d op

tion

s.

68

Topics of Discussion

1. Most successful two livelihoods from existing all livelihoods of the area (At least two)

2. Who initiated the livelihood option – Male/ Female (Details with name)

3. Total cost (including Labour) for the livelihood option.

4. Profit from the livelihood option.

5. Types of work (Agriculture, Fisheries, homestead, cottage industry)

6. Percentage of (%) of people involved with the livelihood option of that village

7 In which disaster the livelihood option being affected, Is the livelihood option is viable during disaster, any adaptation option taken for

continuing the livelihood during disaster (Detail).

8. Adaptation option/ change to sustain the livelihood option in future disaster.

9. Do you receive any help from GO/NGO for the development of that livelihood practice? If yes, bring details.

Comprehensive Need Assessment on

REDUCING VULNERABILITY OF WOMEN AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH VIABLE LIVELIHOOD OPTIONS

Best livelihood adaptation option of the project area

Guideline for Case Study

Total Two case studies should be taken

Participants should be selected from Group Discussion and FGD

Location

Name: Village: Union:

Upazila: District: Time:

Mobile:

© U

N W

omen

/201

4

72

UN Women BangladeshHouse # CES (A) 11A, Road #113Gulshan-2, Dhaka-1212, BangladeshPhone: +88 02 985-8593Fax :+88 02 9883828www.unwomen.org

ASSESSMENT OF

WOMEN’SLIVELIHOODNEEDS IN THREE ECO-ZONES OF

BANGLADESH